The FOOTball thread

I am disappointed that Chelsea didn't get a striker. It is incredible that one of the best/richest clubs in the world currently only have one good striker (Eto'o) available.

True, as do the Arsenal.

But it's not too late, still an hour to go!

:smile:

Sad that Mata left, but such a great player needs to play every week so I fully understand that he decided to leave.

He had a good first performance for Man U and looks a lot happier.


Any transfer news for Italia?

:smile:
 
Nothing interesting to me, I follow the PL much closer than Serie A.

Go Blues!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

The TV guys said they expect Jose to "park the bus*" tomorrow, that is set-up & play very defensively against Man C. And quite right too, they have a lot of very strong, attacking players, but Aguero is injured so that's not too bad.

A draw would be good for Chelsea. (A win better!)

:smile:


* I dunno exactly where the expression comes from, but it is probably an old saying to the effect that,
" .. the team set-up & played so defensively, they would have parked the team bus across the goal, if it was allowed." or something like that.
 
The TV guys said they expect Jose to "park the bus*" tomorrow, that is set-up & play very defensively against Man C. And quite right too, they have a lot of very strong, attacking players, but Aguero is injured so that's not too bad.

A draw would be good for Chelsea. (A win better!)

:smile:


* I dunno exactly where the expression comes from, but it is probably an old saying to the effect that,
" .. the team set-up & played so defensively, they would have parked the team bus across the goal, if it was allowed." or something like that.

A draw would be acceptable but if we want to win we need 3 points!
Whats your team?
 
I expect Chelsea to play defensively, leave most of the initiative to City, and then have a few good tries on the counter. Proper Mourinho football :)

Did you guys see Mourinho's whining about how West Ham played with every man in their own box the entire game? It's pretty hilarious, especially Sam Allardyce's reaction :D

[video=youtube;Z-WDZikiXhQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-WDZikiXhQ[/video]
 
Tuesday 4th February 2014
The English FA Cup - 4th Round Replay

Fulham 0-1 Sheff Utd


Sheffield U are a level 3 club but were far and away better than Fulham in work-rate, comittment and shape and really deserved the win.

Fulham were hopeless!

Did you guys see Mourinho's whining about how West Ham played with every man in their own box the entire game? It's pretty hilarious, especially Sam Allardyce's reaction :D

Yes, I did and Jose (sort of) did what Allaradyce had West Ham do, but with more quality and attacking play.

:smile:
 
"park the bus*"

* I dunno exactly where the expression comes from, but it is probably an old saying to the effect that,
" .. the team set-up & played so defensively, they would have parked the team bus across the goal, if it was allowed." or something like that.

It's an old expression over here, I don't know if Mourinho can be credited with introducing it to England (I doubt it). He sometimes translates Portuguese sayings, it's hilarious. :lmao:
 
Something about German Bundesliga...

The Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV for short) is the only remaining club that has been in the Bundesliga since the League was founded (1963) - yes, Bayern wasn't there at that time.

HSV hasn't been exactly good for quite a few years now, but they lost their last seven league matches and are now at the second to last place. After they lost to Eintracht Braunschweig yesterday - the last-placed team which has scored 15 goals in 21 matches, FOUR of those yesterday - Hamburg has fired their coach Bert van Marwijk.
Not that he was the problem. The club management is so abysmally bad that a new coach will be in just as impossible a situation as the last one. At the moment it looks like they want Mirko Slomka, former coach of Schalke and Hanover, to take the job, but in all honesty, why should he (I presume his bank account is not what you'd call empty)?

I don't know if I want Hamburg relegated to the second division, because it has quite an appeal to have a club that has always been there still be there. Also, the second biggest German city not having a club in the Bundesliga? That'd be quite sad. But on the other hand, I do not like the HSV and with being more chaotic than Schalke and Cologne together, they really deserve to go down...
 
The English FA Cup - Fifth Round
Saturday 15th February 2014
Sunderland 1-0 Southampton
Cardiff 1-2 Wigan
Sheff Wed P-P Charlton
Man City 2-0 Chelsea

Man C wanted to win more than Chelsea, they played much faster tempo, high-pressing game when not in possession, than in the EPL game recently.

Sunday 16th February 2014
Everton 3-1 Swansea
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool
Brighton v. Hull on Monday Evening

Something about German Bundesliga...

The Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV for short) is the only remaining club that has been in the Bundesliga since the League was founded (1963) - yes, Bayern wasn't there at that time.

HSV hasn't been exactly good for quite a few years now, but they lost their last seven league matches and are now at the second to last place. After they lost to Eintracht Braunschweig yesterday - the last-placed team which has scored 15 goals in 21 matches, FOUR of those yesterday - Hamburg has fired their coach Bert van Marwijk.
Not that he was the problem. The club management is so abysmally bad that a new coach will be in just as impossible a situation as the last one. At the moment it looks like they want Mirko Slomka, former coach of Schalke and Hanover, to take the job, but in all honesty, why should he (I presume his bank account is not what you'd call empty)?

I don't know if I want Hamburg relegated to the second division, because it has quite an appeal to have a club that has always been there still be there. Also, the second biggest German city not having a club in the Bundesliga? That'd be quite sad. But on the other hand, I do not like the HSV and with being more chaotic than Schalke and Cologne together, they really deserve to go down...

Clubs with bad management, crazy owners and chaotic finances isn't just a problem in England then? :p

I respect the history of the football game and it would be sad to get relegated, but some times the inevitable happens. Man U were relegated in the 1970's, just a few years after their first European Cup win.

Anyway, I like to hear news of the German Bundesliga and any other football leagues that any FG members want to post. It's an International game with players & coaches always moving about these days.
(e.g. Jermain Defoe has moved from Spurs to Vancouver, so it'd nice to hear how is is doing.)

:smile:
 
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Howard Webb is not a popular figure amongst the people on the RAWK-forum. I wonder how fans at other top clubs rate him?

As an international referee I think he is one of the best.
 
Denying LFC a stonewall penalty (Chamberlain vs. Suarez) doesn't help of cause.
 
Well, the penalty Suarez did get was sort of thin if you ask me.

Sturridge was uncharacteristically unefficient today, he really should have put at least one of those chances away.

Pretty hilarious response from Howard Webb when Sterling put a hand on his chest :lol:
 
978x.jpg
 
Denying LFC a stonewall penalty (Chamberlain vs. Suarez) doesn't help of cause.

Well, the penalty Suarez did get was sort of thin if you ask me.

Looked OK to me. Maybe Howard Webb thought so too and didn't want to award another on so quickly, which looked "stone wall" and "all day long a pen", as the TV guys say. :lol:

Pretty hilarious response from Howard Webb when Sterling put a hand on his chest :lol:

It was funny and I think Sterling had been mouthing-off to the Ref before as well, which could be dissent or disrepute yellow card, but Captain Fanastic stepped in as he is supposed to & allowed, to calm things down.

All the teams wore black arm bands today because of this:
Sir Tom Finney: Former Preston and England winger dies at 91. - BBC Sport Although, I can't see Fabianski's on the photo above.

Fulham hire Felix Magath after 'sacking' Rene Meulensteen - BBC Sport

:rolleyes: at the decision of the Fulham Owner, the American Shaid Khan.

Anyone know if Felix Magath can magic Fulham out of the mess they are in now and avoid relegation?
 
Given what happened at Magath's past gigs, his players will hate him and he will sign a ludricrous amount of new players if he gets the chance between seasons. But yeah, I would not be surprised if he actually managed to save the team from going down.
 
He has a good record of saving teams from relegation. His methods work well in providing short term improvement to teams. I wouldn't want him as a long term solution though..
 
He has a good record of saving teams from relegation. His methods work well in providing short term improvement to teams. I wouldn't want him as a long term solution though..

Given what happened at Magath's past gigs, his players will hate him and he will sign a ludricrous amount of new players if he gets the chance between seasons. But yeah, I would not be surprised if he actually managed to save the team from going down.

Thanks for the info, maybe Magath can save Fulham despite the Owner.

Also, I just watched the German Bundesliga Highlights show, Hamburg did look woeful and perhaps the coach can turn things around, well good luck to him.

And a nice win for your lot at Dortmund too, Dan. :grin:
 
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