General Weekend/Midweek Football

[marcopaulo]

why when get to the semi's or the final it's chelsea, man u, liverpool and so on still left...arsenal get an average prem side, and two lower league sides..bull crap

[Hafnia]

Exactly why I'm pissed off at the loss against arsenal.

[Lowensda]

Without being unrealistic, if we'd have beaten Arsenal, we'd have that cup.

[Dalziel Kane]

Without being unrealistic, if we'd have beaten Arsenal, we'd have that cup.

 

Against a Wigan Athletic side that beat us by three without reply at home in last seasons competition and only went and put in a fine performance and deserving win at Manchester City only a few days recent ? Some would beg to differ

 

Fair enough the former was last year under Moyes and we've apparently got a new manager now who favors a more attacking intent, but while we'd have a good opportunity this year if we had got through against Wigan, some still remain skeptical about Everton's ability to really get going on the biggest occasions. Point being, I'm not buying into the fact that some see Wigan as just making up the numbers for the rest of this years competition - they're going to be fighting tooth and nail to hang on to that trophy they won last year.

[Guest blueboy122]

How many times do we fluff are lines when big opportunities present themselves to us.

 

So frustrating..

[Ant1979]

we've apparently got a new manager now

I can confirm that we've definitely got a new manager

[Matt]

Arsenal do know they're 2-0 down, right?

[Dalziel Kane]

I got some of the Munich game, and it's at 1 - 1 in Germany, with the North London side needing two without reply in order to progress this night.

 

Can't be impartial as still stinging to an extent from the weekend so want the Bavarians to win - would have prefered a clean win by two or three goals - but so long as Arsenal are eliminated, it will have to be good enough.

 

Yes it's still the same with five minutes in change, so looks at though these... are going out - as are Milan unfortunately - behind by 4 - 1 to Athletico in Spain.

 

Disappointed with the latter, but the Spanish could be a decent bet for a final place this season.

[Matt]

Robben is up there with the biggest cheats to have ever played the game. Shouldve been booked...

[Dalziel Kane]

Trying to keep interest in the Barca / City game from Spain Catalonia tonight and the away side appear the better team but the damage was done in the first game. Barcelona don't seem interested and (they) think they've done enough already and City trying to get through against a stubborn defense.

 

If the english side goes out tonight (as looks likely) then I think the EPL title will belong to one of the other challengers this season (Messi scores - Barcelona now lead)

 

As was just being said, this elimination now (City aren't going to score three) will severely effect the last of their season and can't see the league championship being theirs now. Still can't understand that FA Cup defeat from the weekend, so instead of being the best season ever (for them) a few short weeks ago, is now only going to end with the League Cup for show - poor reward for their talents.

 

Can't be impartial, no time for Barcelona, and wanted City to win this tie. Never rains but it pours..

[Cake]

Robben is up there with the biggest cheats to have ever played the game. Shouldve been booked...

 

He's like a little jerky, wind-up, wooden clockwork toy when he runs.. all that, stop, jerk, feint, stop, jerk, jerk, stop, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, stop, jerk, feint........... makes me nervous! Awkward, jerky little twat!

 

And yes, he is a cheat.

[Guest Nikica]

No offence taken and I'm sure there are times when they've blown teams away. Even Everton have done that. When it works, they look good. When it doesn't, they are boring. The inference, mainly by a toadying media, that they are constantly unstoppable and the football they play is so far out there is wrong as at times it's not and when its not they are boring and very ordinary.

 

If Everton had possession of the ball for almost 70 of the 90 minutes and had 8 attempts at goal after passing it 5 yards to each other in cute little triangles or diamonds, whichever you prefer, and lost 1-0 they would get told the same. I appreciate 'attractive' football. I appreciate exciting, high tempo football. I've been fortunate to watch a lot of both, and also been bored shitless too in the 45 years I've been watching Everton and football, ingeneral. Being told constantly you are wonderful or that you must aspire to the same level of wonder has no place in any sport as when you fall flat on your arse, as you surely will, you (this is a metaphoric you, by the way) don't have a clue how to deal with it and start looking for excuses rather than reasons. You need to know equally as much when you're boring and ineffective as you need to know when you walk on water.

 

I did think about making personal accusations about you and your family, when I first read your reply, or of excusing my outrageous comments with still being hung over after a four day bender, although I'm through the worst of it now, but all I can tell you is I make sure it's none of my business what anyone thinks of me, mate, so no harm done as I said. Words on a page, same as mine.

It was predictable that you'd say 'of course they have blown teams away, every team can on their day', which is why I said 'that's just one example'. With all due respect, Everton and many other teams (assuming you're talking in the PL era and not your great eighties teams that won the league) giving someone a big beating is an anomaly, an occasional thing. With Barcelona 08-11 it was the norm - it was rare for anyone to compete with them, whether it was a lesser La Liga team or a CL rial, and a sign of their utter superiority is that even the other best teams in the world were forced to defend with ten men simply to give them a game. Real Madrid spent a fortune on players yet had to defend with ten men like a pub team when they faced Barca at their best (as well as kicking them off the park, the thugs).

 

Your comment about them 'playing in pointless 5 yard triangles' is not accurate, and indicative of someone who never watched Barca. I've also already explained to you that having lots of shots on goal isn't the same thing as playing attacking football. They played most of games in the oppositon's half against packed defences, and their passing was to drag opponents out of position, so they could exploit a gap when it arose. The reason they have less shots than everyone else is because they'd rather pass their way through than shoot on sight - what exactly is less attacking about that? They could shoot every time they have a sight on goal, like that selfish moron of a footballer Ronaldo, but they have more sense than that. Similar comments to that are remarks that all they do pass it around their defence and that Xavi and Iniesta set up Messi constantly like he's some sort of Pippo Inzaghi style poacher. All nonsense statements.

 

I was playing in a 5 a side tournament yesterday and managing to drag myself away from defenders for a through ball. What did my team-mates do? Stupidly shot from a mile out while I am calling for the ball on the edge of the box. This ended up costing us a goal in one game (as the guy who didn't pass lost the ball and we were broken on). That meant we were 1-0 down. I equalised after that and then their goalkeeper had a stormer (mainly though me creating chances by myself because, as I've explained, the rest of them weren't spotting passes), but we still only drew 1-1. We ended up being eliminated from the group on goal difference, and had we beaten that team we'd have went through. Essentially my team-mates' selfishness and inability to see a pass cost us progression. From your comments in here I get the feeling you'd have shot like they did, rather than play the clever ball. This sort of moronic football is why I get utterly frustrated by people saying "LULZ that Barca innit, they r crap, they nevar shoot!!!". I'd give my right arm to have team-mates who played like Iniesta and Xavi (at our level of play, I mean), rather than guys who shoot when there's a team-mate standing in space waiting for a pass.

 

I completely agree with you that someone should be told when they're not performing - that's why I slag off the dullards on Redcafe - those idiots constantly bury their heads in the sand and overrate their players. Then they're bewildered when they are pumped in CL Finals (by Barca, ironically) or when their team turns to shit when Ferguson leaves? Criticism is the key to progress, you're right.

 

Your opinion is not a fact, it is subjective - in your view, Barca 08-11 were boring sometimes. In mine they weren't - I watched all of their games and I can count the number of times that they bored me on one hand. Perhaps they bore you because their utter superiority rendered many games a non-contest, and that is fine. However, that's not the same as saying they play sleep-inducing football.

 

I tell you who has played boring football post 1992 though - Man United. The sycophantic English media always talk up their 'entertaining play', when all it ever was was 442 dross and tedious crossing. They've been playing like that since the inception of the PL era. They have also looked the inferior team in most of their CL ties since the nineties and utterly fluked both the CL titles they won (the first being a robbery as Bayern passed them off the park). I know lots of people who claim United have played good football and Barca have been boring, and I find that opinion so far detached from reality that it's amazing. It seems a lot of people prefer technique-less pace merchant counter-attacking and crossing to pure ability and playing through compressed space. Well, I'm not fucking one of them, that's for sure.

 

Anyway, I have been a cunt again with this comment. However, after the debacle that was that fucking tournament yesterday, and the fact that I'm on a different wavelength to most of the guys I play football with, you can hardly blame me when I read comments like yours implying that football should be all-action and constant peppering the goal with shots, whether it makes sense to shoot or not.

[Guest Nikica]

As for the last couple of night's football - no real surprise. There was never any way that either Arsenal or Man City were gonna progress. It didn't stop patriotic people claiming they would though - the same way they claimed they'd both beat Bayern and Barca in the first legs. These people never learn, but at least their naivety won me a ton in an acca when the odds on Bayern and Barca winning the first legs lengthened. Thanks for putting money in my pocket.

 

Man City and Arsenal are good teams, but they're not amongst the best in Europe. Arsenal especially are unbelievably overrated, and have been for about five years. Here we have a team who bottle the PL title race every season, and who are complete non-entities in the CL (haven't been past the last sixteen for five consecutive seasons, and in truth never looked like eliminating any of the teams they played in those five seasons either). Yet the vomit-inducing English media talks this club up like it's on par with Barca, Bayern, Real Madrid. What have they done to deserve it? Atletico and PSG are a lot better than them this season. Arsenal are on a par with teams like Valencia and Athletic. Good league teams but generally a non-entity in Europe. If Arsenal were playing in La Liga I don't think they'd qualify for the CL.

 

As for all the shit about UEFA being against English clubs, 'UEFAlona' etc - that was proved bollocks yet again. Barca had a goal wrongly ruled offside in both legs (when was the last time that happened in a CL tie?) and had a stonewall penalty denied tonight. Kompany should have been off as the last man too. Man City should have had a penalty too probably but they were far from hard done by. As for Arsenal, Robben was diving last night and he made a meal of the penalty, but there was contact. Podolski's goal should also have never stood.

 

We need to cut the garbage about British teams being persecuted in Europe. It's been a myth for years and simply highlights that many of us Brits are simply small-minded, xenophobic slimeballs who aren't man enough to admit if we lost to someone who was superior. I'm aware that my tone in these posts leaves a lot to be desired, but pussyfooting around simply makes the problem bigger.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Nikica

[Guest Nikica]

Why am I not surprised that a clueless, wumming tool like 'MiguelCotto' neg repped both my posts? As inevitable as the sun rising. Stick to boxing wee man, that's the sort of sport where prehistoric behaviour is encouraged.

 

Sick of trying to be a diplomatic, caring person in life and having it thrown back in my face constantly. If people are going to exploit my loving nature then I might as well do similar. From now on I'm done with diplomacy - if I think someone is talking bollocks then I will tell them, in no uncertain terms. I can't control how people treat me but I can control how I reciprocate.

 

Can't believe some of them tried to scapegoat me after that game yesterday for 'not makin' runs', when making runs is exactly what I did but the ball never arrived because they were too busy shooting from the halfway line. Absolutely livid and won't tolerate being treated this way any longer.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Nikica

[Cake]

It was predictable that you'd say 'of course they have blown teams away, every team can on their day', which is why I said 'that's just one example'. With all due respect, Everton and many other teams (assuming you're talking in the PL era and not your great eighties teams that won the league) giving someone a big beating is an anomaly, an occasional thing. With Barcelona 08-11 it was the norm - it was rare for anyone to compete with them, whether it was a lesser La Liga team or a CL rial, and a sign of their utter superiority is that even the other best teams in the world were forced to defend with ten men simply to give them a game. Real Madrid spent a fortune on players yet had to defend with ten men like a pub team when they faced Barca at their best (as well as kicking them off the park, the thugs).

 

Your comment about them 'playing in pointless 5 yard triangles' is not accurate, and indicative of someone who never watched Barca. I've also already explained to you that having lots of shots on goal isn't the same thing as playing attacking football. They played most of games in the oppositon's half against packed defences, and their passing was to drag opponents out of position, so they could exploit a gap when it arose. The reason they have less shots than everyone else is because they'd rather pass their way through than shoot on sight - what exactly is less attacking about that? They could shoot every time they have a sight on goal, like that selfish moron of a footballer Ronaldo, but they have more sense than that. Similar comments to that are remarks that all they do pass it around their defence and that Xavi and Iniesta set up Messi constantly like he's some sort of Pippo Inzaghi style poacher. All nonsense statements.

 

I was playing in a 5 a side tournament yesterday and managing to drag myself away from defenders for a through ball. What did my team-mates do? Stupidly shot from a mile out while I am calling for the ball on the edge of the box. This ended up costing us a goal in one game (as the guy who didn't pass lost the ball and we were broken on). That meant we were 1-0 down. I equalised after that and then their goalkeeper had a stormer (mainly though me creating chances by myself because, as I've explained, the rest of them weren't spotting passes), but we still only drew 1-1. We ended up being eliminated from the group on goal difference, and had we beaten that team we'd have went through. Essentially my team-mates' selfishness and inability to see a pass cost us progression. From your comments in here I get the feeling you'd have shot like they did, rather than play the clever ball. This sort of moronic football is why I get utterly frustrated by people saying "LULZ that Barca innit, they r crap, they nevar shoot!!!". I'd give my right arm to have team-mates who played like Iniesta and Xavi (at our level of play, I mean), rather than guys who shoot when there's a team-mate standing in space waiting for a pass.

 

I completely agree with you that someone should be told when they're not performing - that's why I slag off the dullards on Redcafe - those idiots constantly bury their heads in the sand and overrate their players. Then they're bewildered when they are pumped in CL Finals (by Barca, ironically) or when their team turns to shit when Ferguson leaves? Criticism is the key to progress, you're right.

 

Your opinion is not a fact, it is subjective - in your view, Barca 08-11 were boring sometimes. In mine they weren't - I watched all of their games and I can count the number of times that they bored me on one hand. Perhaps they bore you because their utter superiority rendered many games a non-contest, and that is fine. However, that's not the same as saying they play sleep-inducing football.

 

I tell you who has played boring football post 1992 though - Man United. The sycophantic English media always talk up their 'entertaining play', when all it ever was was 442 dross and tedious crossing. They've been playing like that since the inception of the PL era. They have also looked the inferior team in most of their CL ties since the nineties and utterly fluked both the CL titles they won (the first being a robbery as Bayern passed them off the park). I know lots of people who claim United have played good football and Barca have been boring, and I find that opinion so far detached from reality that it's amazing. It seems a lot of people prefer technique-less pace merchant counter-attacking and crossing to pure ability and playing through compressed space. Well, I'm not fucking one of them, that's for sure.

 

Anyway, I have been a cunt again with this comment. However, after the debacle that was that fucking tournament yesterday, and the fact that I'm on a different wavelength to most of the guys I play football with, you can hardly blame me when I read comments like yours implying that football should be all-action and constant peppering the goal with shots, whether it makes sense to shoot or not.

 

Good Lord. Not intending to wind you up any more than you clearly are but I stopped at "predictable".

[Guest Nikica]

If you stopped at 'predictable', how do you know I am agitated? That sentence could have read "it was predictable that I would defend Barca" and the post could have went on to be a 2000 word essay on how wonderful you are and how I've had an epiphany and come to your way of thinking. I could have been advocating the merits of route one football.

 

You've just assumed it's a rant because it's a lengthy post. You're right, but you only know that because I've confirmed it in this paragraph.

[Guest Nikica]

Apologies for the frustration, friends. I am finding it impossible to stay in my stable, civil frame of mind for any significant period of time as external influences and my own brain keep destroying it. I like posting on the site but if I can't keep it straight up top then perhaps I should cease. You guys shouldn't have to put up with occasional mood swings.

 

I think I have a split personality.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Nikica

[marcus jones]

Not so long ago Europe was amazed why we were getting 3 of the 4 teams in the champs league semi, like when three different English sides win it in 7 years, like when the European cup never left these shores for 6 years in the late 70's early 80's, like when most clubs around Europe want to follow the Premier league in terms of finance and marketing. Be proud of what we have I say and cherish it. Look at how far Serie A has fallen. I'm not taking anything for granted but I think we are not so technically far behind as people make out. Anyway, do people think it's harder to win the Champions league or the old European cup? :dont know:

[MC11]

Apologies for the frustration, friends. I am finding it impossible to stay in my stable, civil frame of mind for any significant period of time as external influences and my own brain keep destroying it. I like posting on the site but if I can't keep it straight up top then perhaps I should cease. You guys shouldn't have to put up with occasional mood swings.

I think I have a split personality.

You are one of the best posters on here and know your stuff!

[marcopaulo]

dalziel is the best poster on here...hands down

[Matt]

dalziel is the best poster on here...hands down

after Dave.

[Dalziel Kane]

after Dave.

 

Who the fuck is this Dave individual and that's not even worthy of honors, I took a certain level of umbrage with that. - Although realize this is no damn contest

 

I wanted to say re - Jona 32 - that it would appear harder for British teams to be champions of europe now than from the years in question, I.E. 1977 - 82, as the caliber of opposition sides has increased greatly in the last 30, 35 years, alhough of course back then you had to be champions of your respective country in order to qualify, none of this 'top four' bullshit they have in place now, that enables any Tom, Dick and Harry to have a shot at the greatest prize in european domestics.

 

Of course it invariably brings to the fore "would we have done it", that is, win the European Cup in 1986 if not for the continental ban on english sides ?

 

More difficult to say than some would imagine. Sure we had the abilities, but all I know is, someone was more deserving than some crack army team from Romania that were far from being deserving "champions of europe" (that year)

[Brett Angel]

Man utd v Liverpool????? What do yous want to see? I hate the shite with so much passion and want them to get beat every game possible.I'm really stuck on this one. If the shite win there closer to the title again with a bucket more full of confidence. If united win, they dent our chances of Europe. Am stuck on this one. I wouldn't like to see a draw either.

[Guest rusty747]

Man U to win 2-1 as we will turn Man U over at Goodison to secure fifth and retain an outside chance of fourth.

[marcopaulo]

Man utd v Liverpool????? What do yous want to see? I hate the shite with so much passion and want them to get beat every game possible.I'm really stuck on this one. If the shite win there closer to the title again with a bucket more full of confidence. If united win, they dent our chances of Europe. Am stuck on this one. I wouldn't like to see a draw either.

 

as much as i hate it i'd probably prefer liverpool to win..they're too far ahead of us i think now and anything that helps us get europe is what i want

[marcopaulo]

kompany sent off after 10 minutes

[marcopaulo]

silva with a stunner though...wow

[Matt]

Chelsea collapsing. First red was a nonsense, second a disgrace from Ramieres, now Mourihno sent to the stands.

[Cornish Steve]

And Chelsea lose. That puts City in the driving seat for the title - although both teams have matches to come against Liverpool. In many ways, it's going to be an exciting end to the season.

[Cornish Steve]

Man utd v Liverpool????? What do yous want to see? I hate the shite with so much passion and want them to get beat every game possible.I'm really stuck on this one. If the shite win there closer to the title again with a bucket more full of confidence. If united win, they dent our chances of Europe. Am stuck on this one. I wouldn't like to see a draw either.

 

I expect to see Liverpool win a high-scoring game. Both teams are weak in defence, but Liverpool's forwards are lethal, having scored more goals than any team in any English league. A way-out prediction, but I'm going to say United 2-5 Liverpool.