Football

[Paul Bearer 5,754]

Well, I was right about the humping (the Gretna one).

 

6-0 with a few minutes left.

 

Going horribly wrong.

 

*pop*

 

Now they're playing up there with the big boys, we'll see just how good they are.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,907]

Another win for Reading, Champions League football, here we come

 

 

Carlisle thumped by lowly Crewe 5-1 - yes 5-1 - yesterday, but otherwise doing well. As are Aston Villa.

 

 

Who is it that supports Charlton round here? Better look up directions for Yeovil if Dowie stays in charge much longer...

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

F*****g unlucky. We made up over quarter of the crowd. Hit the bar, had one cleared off the line and saw them score when two parried shots broke to their strike pair. Oh aye, and after Hawley went off with injured ribs the final insult came in the last minute when a 25 yard free kick banged off our wall into the net and gifted one of their strikers the match ball and a hat-trick.

 

In other words we weren't four goals worse than them. The biggest worry is that injured hitman - Karl 'goal machine' Hawley - is yet to sign a new contract. Might leave for Championship football in the transfer window and net us precious little cash when he does.

[The Pooka 25]

I should be a Hibernian tonight but I didn't fancy another Gretna humping.

 

Oh, and on the subject of death - footballers are dropping recently.

 

Jamie McQuilken (Gretna defender) had to be rushed to hospital at the weekend after suffering chest pains at the end of the Livingston match.

 

Worrying.

Maybe. But he'd probably had a good innings by Scottish standards (makes mental note - more Scotsamn on the DL for 07)

[TLC 9]

Another win for Reading, Champions League football, here we come

 

 

Carlisle thumped by lowly Crewe 5-1 - yes 5-1 - yesterday, but otherwise doing well. As are Aston Villa.

 

 

Who is it that supports Charlton round here? Better look up directions for Yeovil if Dowie stays in charge much longer...

me.

 

Van Persie shouldn't have been on the pitch to have scored either of his goals at the weekend, although I can't deny that volley of his was pretty damn good.

 

At least 3 of our 6 losses have been against Arsenal, Man U & Chelsea I suppose. It's when we get tanked by Sheffield United and Watford that I'll dig out that map to Yeovil.

 

On a separate note, I can't believe Darren Bent has been dropped back to the Under 21's; he's managed to score 5 goals for us this season when we've been playing terribly, out of our team's league total of 6.

[Brinsworth House Baiter 12]

Carlisle thumped by lowly Crewe 5-1 - yes 5-1 - yesterday, but otherwise doing well. As are Aston Villa.

 

Just got time to pop in and chant:

 

'Villa, Villa, Villa!'

 

And

 

'Martin O'Neil's claret and blue army!'

 

Gotta go now. See y'all later!

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

Aye, fair enough BHB, it is for such rewards the dedicated fan stays dedicated. Good on yers, decent manager, cash on't way. A sleeping giant almost awake now. I'll bet David O'Leary is ecstatic.

[Magere Hein 1,397]

Van Persie shouldn't have been on the pitch to have scored either of his goals at the weekend, although I can't deny that volley of his was pretty damn good.

He was a pain in the arse when he played for my beloved Feyenoord. I thought they got a bit of discipline into him at Arsenal, but it appears that didn't work completely. Otherwise he's a talented footballer.

 

Trivia: I played against his granddad at chess once.

 

regards,

Hein

[Brinsworth House Baiter 12]

Van Persie shouldn't have been on the pitch to have scored either of his goals at the weekend, although I can't deny that volley of his was pretty damn good.

He was a pain in the arse when he played for my beloved Feyenoord. I thought they got a bit of discipline into him at Arsenal, but it appears that didn't work completely. Otherwise he's a talented footballer.

 

Trivia: I played against his granddad at chess once.

 

regards,

Hein

 

You haven't mentioned the result, MH, so are we to take it that you lost to old man Van Persie?

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

Hein

 

I should've guessed from your intelligence and peristence you were a footy fan. Feyenoord, a team with some European pedigree, respect.

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

S'cuse me posting after the last post was mine and that but:

 

f****n' fed up here. Lost at home for the first time this season. Had the better chances and more of them but two gut-churning defensive slips let Millwall in. Our goal was decent enough but so were the chances where we hit the woodwork twice, once from the penalty spot, and their goalie pulled off a corker of a save in the 95th minute.

 

One of them days, eh?

 

Pub time.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,907]

f****n' fed up here. One of them days, eh?

 

So f****ng what, I'm Welsh. Try putting spin on a 5-1 home defeat.

 

(In other news - England dire. Scotland & N. Ireland magnificent. Rep. Ireland, Spain & Belgium shite.)

 

 

Thank goodness my club side keep me happy, 'cos that's another 4 years (at least) I have to wait to see my nation in a finals tournament.

[Typhoid Harry 21]

I'm an American born son of an Irish father and a Welsh mother, both of whom were children of Welsh/Irish marriages. I have no idea what that makes me: Welshish?

[Octopus of Odstock 1,907]

I'm an American born son of an Irish father and a Welsh mother, both of whom were children of Welsh/Irish marriages. I have no idea what that makes me: Welshish?

 

Celtic-American, I guess, if such a thing exists...

[The Pooka 25]

Van Persie shouldn't have been on the pitch to have scored either of his goals at the weekend, although I can't deny that volley of his was pretty damn good.

He was a pain in the arse when he played for my beloved Feyenoord. I thought they got a bit of discipline into him at Arsenal, but it appears that didn't work completely. Otherwise he's a talented footballer.

 

Trivia: I played against his granddad at chess once.

 

regards,

Hein

Don't tell me - Max Euwe.

[Magere Hein 1,397]

Trivia: I played against [Van Persie's] granddad at chess once.

Don't tell me - Max Euwe.

No, I never played IGM Euwe. I'm not that old. I'm also not that good.

 

His name was, surprisingly enough, Van Persie. It was a match in the the local league. I looked it up in my archive: it was a hard-fought draw.

 

regards,

Hein

[themaninblack 2,112]

CROATIA 2-0 ENGLAND

 

Another spineless display from McLarens men.

 

Had a peak at the Guardian sport blog.

 

Quite a few are demanding the return of Beckham.

 

This is the death of English football as we know it....

[Godot 148]

CROATIA 2-0 ENGLAND

 

Another spineless display from McLarens men.

 

Had a peak at the Guardian sport blog.

 

Quite a few are demanding the return of Beckham.

 

This is the death of English football as we know it....

Like Scotland 1 France 0 was the death of French football?

The media love people like you. Spell F-I-C-K-L-E

[Magere Hein 1,397]

CROATIA 2-0 ENGLAND

 

Another spineless display from McLarens men.

I especially enjoyed Croatia's second goal. Great comic effort by England.

 

Holland played against the dreaded Albanians in Amsterdam last night. Apart from some 20 minutes in the first half the Dutch were rubbish. The good news is that they won 2-1. The second goal was a freak own goal by Croatia.

 

regards,

Hein

[themaninblack 2,112]

CROATIA 2-0 ENGLAND

 

Another spineless display from McLarens men.

 

Had a peak at the Guardian sport blog.

 

Quite a few are demanding the return of Beckham.

 

This is the death of English football as we know it....

Like Scotland 1 France 0 was the death of French football?

The media love people like you. Spell F-I-C-K-L-E

 

How am I fickle? Have I posted a contradictory post on the state of

English football? I always knew McClaren was a berk.

Besides, I don't even support England.....

[Godot 148]

Besides, I don't even support England.....

Strike that "fickle" remark MIB. I had assumed you were an England fan of sorts. The comment just reminded me of the sort of thing that's been said by terrace curmudgeons for years. I think it's a bit early to make judgements on McClaren. Some of the remarks I've seen appear a bit racist (countyest?) because he happens to come from God's own country Yorkshire.

 

Talking about the death of English football as we know it seems a bit daft to me since losing 2-0 to Croatia is very much the England football I've known for years. You can see it now. McClaren's going to get the Graham Taylor turnip treatment very soon. The only question is which item of food. Yorkshire pudding I expect.

 

England remains a team of under-achievers, some great players who struggle to work together, not sure why. It will be interesting to see whether the Scots are undergoing a genuine revival or whether their recent form is a flash in the pan.

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

I'll nail me colours etc etc.

 

Never reckoned McLaren the right boss, mainly because he's not had the experience of being the main man in charge of such a pool of talent. TBH the only manager in the UK I thought would really get results is Arsene Wenger and with David Dein - Arsenal bigwig - on the England appointing panel Wenger was off-limits from the start.

 

I forsee bluster and grunt as we scrape into Euro 2008, stumble along with brief moments to cheer, and exit in a mediocre fashion, probably thrashed by Portugal, or summat.

 

Then a foreign coach again.

[Lady Die 63]

I think Terry Venables should get the top job. I don't think it'll happen though because he's a spiv.

[maryportfuncity 10,040]

It won't happen because they know how hard they struggled to keep the lid on the spiviness spilling all over the press last time he was boss.

 

TBH I'm not sure how hungry he is for that anymore. As the others fail his ability to take us within a shootout of the Euro 96 final looks better and better. Would he risk that legacy for a pop with the present players I wonder. Would the FA risk re-instating a former boss for the first time in their history?

[Cowboy Ronnie 77]

 

Besides, I don't even support England.....

Strike that "fickle" remark MIB. I had assumed you were an England fan of sorts. The comment just reminded me of the sort of thing that's been said by terrace curmudgeons for years. I think it's a bit early to make judgements on McClaren. Some of the remarks I've seen appear a bit racist (countyest?) because he happens to come from God's own country Yorkshire.

 

Talking about the death of English football as we know it seems a bit daft to me since losing 2-0 to Croatia is very much the England football I've known for years. You can see it now. McClaren's going to get the Graham Taylor turnip treatment very soon. The only question is which item of food. Yorkshire pudding I expect.

 

England remains a team of under-achievers, some great players who struggle to work together, not sure why. It will be interesting to see whether the Scots are undergoing a genuine revival or whether their recent form is a flash in the pan.

 

Due to his blood red features I have McClaren down to be likened by the tabloids to a beetroot. We've had a turnip and a Swede, so it would fit the pattern. McClaren was an uninspired selection for England manager, seemingly about third (at best) choice, and the performances by the England team in most of the matches under him have wavered been uninspiring and clueless. Away to Croatia, unbeaten in home qualifiers in 12 years? Perfect time to switch to a 5-3-2 (let's not fool ourselves that it was 3-5-2) formation that the majority of the team have never played, even at club level. Great move not to have Beckham available last night - fair enough that he's no longer an automatic starter, but I'd rather have had him than Parker or Carrick last night. Or Lampard, for that matter. McClaren was mediocre at Middlesborough, and he looks to be attaining roughly the same level for England. The only person worse in the England set-up is FA Chief Exec. Brian Barleycorn, who appointed him in the first place (after his brilliant trip to Portugal right before the World Cup where he managed to persuade Big Phil Scolari not to take the job). I wish I shared MPFC's optimism about them even qualifying for Euro 2008.