The English Football Thread

Mojo · 04-07-2011, 05:58 PM

Best penalty of all time? What a cocky bastard.

Zaqarbal · 04-08-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Best penalty of all time? What a cocky bastard.

Not as much as Panenka... or Johan Cruyff:

Mojo · 04-08-2011, 08:16 PM

Bulldog · 04-09-2011, 06:03 AM

^ Classic.

Talking of odd penalties, here's another good one;

Big day ahead for the mighty Wigan. I really don't expect anything but a royal beating at the Bridge, and even if that happens, I'm still cautiously optimistic of picking up another 9 points from a possible 18 after that.

Mojo · 04-09-2011, 06:12 AM

I can't see anything other than a Chelsea win today, but you never know. They have been far from fantastic this season, and slipping up at the Bridge hasn't exactly been uncommon for them this season.

We have West brom today. Now we have Man City last weekend out of the way, we have a very good run-in, in my opinion. I'm not exactly sure we can take full advantage of it as we're not playing well but our remaining games are West Brom at home, Birmingham away, Wigan at home, Fulham at home, Bolton away, Wolves at home and West Ham away on the final day.

Bulldog · 04-09-2011, 06:31 AM

I can't remember if I said it here or to my flatmate, but it's odd how Steve Bruce is something of a half-season manager. He does so well in the opening halves, but can't seem to motivate his players well enough to perform in the closing stages of a season. It happened at Wigan, time and again at Birmingham...he's a perfectly competent manager, but still looks like he has a thing or two to learn if he wants to be one of the all-time greats. Still think Sunderland will stay up no problem though.

As for Wigan-Chelski, David Luiz is back, and I can see Torres finally getting a goal today - he put in the best performance I've seen from him in a Chelsea shirt against Man U the other day, and was really unlucky not to come away with a couple of goals.

Mojo · 04-09-2011, 06:42 AM

Yeah, we've had alot of injuries but I don't think we can blame our poor form on that. Losing Bent when we did didn't exactly help us either, but again I don't think we can use that as an excuse either. We've had some tricky games in recent weeks and I know that at this stage of the season, playing the teams in and around the relegation zone isn't gonna make for easy games. But I think we have to take advantage of a very kind run-in, start to keep clean sheets again and see if Welbeck and Gyan can keep linking up well but start to get a few goals. We can finish in the top half if we take advantage of this run-in. Even 7th place is still a realistic possibility but a top half finish would be a great season for us.

Wolves and Everton about to kick off. You have to fancy Everton for all three points but I think Wolves are in with a shout of getting something from this if they can avoid conceding early.

EDIT: 1-0 after 20 minutes, 2-0 after 38. That could be it all over. Wolves keeper is having an absolute blinder, he can't be a happy man to see them two goals down.

Bulldog · 04-09-2011, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

EDIT: 1-0 after 20 minutes, 2-0 after 38. That could be it all over. Wolves keeper is having an absolute blinder, he can't be a happy man to see them two goals down.

That's one positive for me! Much as I love Mick McCarthy and normally wouldn't want a team of his to go down, when you're in a relegation dogfight you can't really be picky like that eh.

Also;

BBC Sport - Football - Chelsea 1-0 Wigan

^ I don't care what the match report doesn't say, Torres practically had his elbow in Al Habsi's face when he challenged for the ball that led to Malouda getting the winner. Really should've been a foul the way I saw it.

Still, I guess they deserved to win on the balance of play. Far from a bad performance from the latics though, and we could easily have got an equaliser. I said I'd be happy with a point from this and the Spurs tie, and I still am. Plus it beats the 8-0 in this same fixture last season anyway

On this showing, there's every reason for me to be optimistic over the lads' survival prospects.

Now, if only the Gunners could do us the favour of winning at Bloomfield Road tomorrow...

right-track · 04-13-2011, 12:32 PM

You think your team has problems?

Inspiring stuff!

Mojo · 04-16-2011, 07:01 PM

^ That's a really cool story! I'd never heard that before. Building a wooden pitch on water is pretty crazy stuff!

BBC Sport - Football - Birmingham 2-0 Sunderland

Decent performance, bad result. We arent making the most of our run-in and I'm struggling to see where we are gonna pick up points between now and the end of the season.

BBC Sport - Football - Blackpool 1-3 Wigan

I only saw the highlights but it looked a very good Wigan performance today. I tipped Wigan to go down earlier this season, but the way they have been playing over the last couple of weeks I'm thinking they have the legs to get over the line.

So Bulldog, next weekend should be interesting! I'm still not worried that we're gonna go down, even though I'm concerned about how we've been playing since the January window closed. I am however at least looking backwards rather than forwards now. I also think that it's the best chance we have of picking up three points before the end of the season.

But, I think if your lot beat us at home next weekend then the fight is between you, Blackburn, Blackpool, Wolves, West Ham and definitely us too.

04-07-2011, 05:58 PM	#3341 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Best penalty of all time? What a cocky bastard. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-08-2011, 08:16 PM	#3343 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	__________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-09-2011, 06:12 AM	#3345 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I can't see anything other than a Chelsea win today, but you never know. They have been far from fantastic this season, and slipping up at the Bridge hasn't exactly been uncommon for them this season. We have West brom today. Now we have Man City last weekend out of the way, we have a very good run-in, in my opinion. I'm not exactly sure we can take full advantage of it as we're not playing well but our remaining games are West Brom at home, Birmingham away, Wigan at home, Fulham at home, Bolton away, Wolves at home and West Ham away on the final day. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-09-2011, 06:42 AM	#3347 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Yeah, we've had alot of injuries but I don't think we can blame our poor form on that. Losing Bent when we did didn't exactly help us either, but again I don't think we can use that as an excuse either. We've had some tricky games in recent weeks and I know that at this stage of the season, playing the teams in and around the relegation zone isn't gonna make for easy games. But I think we have to take advantage of a very kind run-in, start to keep clean sheets again and see if Welbeck and Gyan can keep linking up well but start to get a few goals. We can finish in the top half if we take advantage of this run-in. Even 7th place is still a realistic possibility but a top half finish would be a great season for us. Wolves and Everton about to kick off. You have to fancy Everton for all three points but I think Wolves are in with a shout of getting something from this if they can avoid conceding early. EDIT: 1-0 after 20 minutes, 2-0 after 38. That could be it all over. Wolves keeper is having an absolute blinder, he can't be a happy man to see them two goals down. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-16-2011, 07:01 PM	#3350 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	^ That's a really cool story! I'd never heard that before. Building a wooden pitch on water is pretty crazy stuff! BBC Sport - Football - Birmingham 2-0 Sunderland Decent performance, bad result. We arent making the most of our run-in and I'm struggling to see where we are gonna pick up points between now and the end of the season. BBC Sport - Football - Blackpool 1-3 Wigan I only saw the highlights but it looked a very good Wigan performance today. I tipped Wigan to go down earlier this season, but the way they have been playing over the last couple of weeks I'm thinking they have the legs to get over the line. So Bulldog, next weekend should be interesting! I'm still not worried that we're gonna go down, even though I'm concerned about how we've been playing since the January window closed. I am however at least looking backwards rather than forwards now. I also think that it's the best chance we have of picking up three points before the end of the season. But, I think if your lot beat us at home next weekend then the fight is between you, Blackburn, Blackpool, Wolves, West Ham and definitely us too. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

04-09-2011, 06:03 AM	#3344 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	^ Classic. Talking of odd penalties, here's another good one; Big day ahead for the mighty Wigan. I really don't expect anything but a royal beating at the Bridge, and even if that happens, I'm still cautiously optimistic of picking up another 9 points from a possible 18 after that.

04-09-2011, 06:31 AM	#3346 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	I can't remember if I said it here or to my flatmate, but it's odd how Steve Bruce is something of a half-season manager. He does so well in the opening halves, but can't seem to motivate his players well enough to perform in the closing stages of a season. It happened at Wigan, time and again at Birmingham...he's a perfectly competent manager, but still looks like he has a thing or two to learn if he wants to be one of the all-time greats. Still think Sunderland will stay up no problem though. As for Wigan-Chelski, David Luiz is back, and I can see Torres finally getting a goal today - he put in the best performance I've seen from him in a Chelsea shirt against Man U the other day, and was really unlucky not to come away with a couple of goals.

04-13-2011, 12:32 PM	#3349 (permalink)
right-track Atchin' Akai Join Date: May 2005 Location: Unamerica Posts: 8,723	You think your team has problems? Inspiring stuff!