Official Football Thread

Agree with you, BITV - United deserved the draw and I think it will be enough to get through. But I must say Benzema's goal was impressive. He didn't have much space and yet managed such a well-placed shot. I won't give high odds on him playing in the Premiership or in Spain in a couple of years.

I also think Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona are nearly through already. Getting a draw or even a win away is usually enough. (Which of course means Arsenal could have a tough time against Milan. They would really have needed to win yesterday). I consider Real Madrid favourites against Roma, and I really hope they win, too - I don't want Roma to go any further. A Real fan was stabbed this week, it seems like it's Italy who are having the biggest hooligan problems nowadays.

Schalke 04 must be happy with 1-0 at home. Not conceding a goal at home, and winning, means they are favourites against Porto, but this might be a very even tie. As for Fenerbahce vs Sevilla, completely open after the Turks won 3-2 yesterday. But my tips for quarter-final teams are:

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, AC Milan, Schalke 04, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Sevilla. English and Spanish dominance, that is.

And Stella Artois is not a bad thing. Cheers  :)
 
Back in the Village said:
As far as UEFA and FIFA go, it is FIFA that hold ultimate power and will always have the final say.
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I fully understand that FIFA is the top dog here, but does Blatter's power extend to kicking out a team or teams from a competition that is not run by FIFA on the grounds that is not really anything to do with UEFA?
 
I assume that is just a wish? The draw hasn't taken place yet, has it?

It will take place without Rosenborg and Brann. As expected, of course - Fiorentina and Everton are better teams and the difference couldn't be greater than it is now in February. Still, I'm surprised to see Brann lose as much as 6-1 tonight. I thought those results were ancient history now. Our boys took a hell of a beating.


PS: I've checked it and realised that the draw was made already. Spurs vs PSV could be an interesting one. I hope the Norwegian TV stations choose to broadcast some matches from the 1/8-finals despite the fact that RBK and Brann are out.
 
Eddies Wingman said:
I assume that is just a wish? The draw hasn't taken place yet, has it?

It will take place without Rosenborg and Brann. As expected, of course - Fiorentina and Everton are better teams and the difference couldn't be greater than it is now in February. Still, I'm surprised to see Brann lose as much as 6-1 tonight. I thought those results were ancient history now. Our boys took a hell of a beating.


PS: I've checked it and realised that the draw was made already. Spurs vs PSV could be an interesting one. I hope the Norwegian TV stations choose to broadcast some matches from the 1/8-finals despite the fact that RBK and Brann are out.
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Yep, in fact, it was made before the matches had started.
 
Pivotal day in the race for the Premiership? Arsenal fail to capitalise and can't win against 10 man, relegation threatened Birmingham and then hours later Man Utd put in another fantastic performance and put 5 past Newcastle in their back yard.

Arsenal's lead down now to  only 3 points and they still have to travel to Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

I just want to wish Eduardo a speedy recovery. No-one likes to see players get injured like that. Wenger was typically Wengerish, insisting the Birmingham player should be banned for life. Ok, it was a reckless challenge and Eduardo was seriously hurt, but was there any more malice in the challenge than in some of the Arsenal challenges on Nani for instance last week at OT?? Just because Nani didnt get his leg broke in three places and just becuase Evra didnt have his bollocks sheered off by Eboue's studs doesnt make the challenges any less cynical or horrendous.

It is time for the high, dangerous challenges to be eradicated from the game and players should be punished but banned for life??? I dont think so Mr Wenger.
 
Too bad Van Persie is suffering from injuries all the time. In my humble (and Dutch ;) ) opinion there's a lightyear difference between the Arsenal with Van Persie and the Arsenal without Van Persie.
 
Taylor's challenge on Eduardo was harsh - but you see tackles like that every week. It was bad luck for Eduardo. And Wenger should be aware that if players got banned for life for that kind of challenges, he would have to replace much of his team. As would many other managers.

Misunderstand me correctly, I don't mean players should get away unpunished for such tackles, because of the risk of such bad injuries as we saw yesterday. And Wenger's reaction wasn't worse than one can expect after a match when his team has got a player badly hurt and also lost two points in extra time. But in my opinion, Eboue's challenge on Evra last weekend was worse than Taylor's yesterday. Taylor was at least trying to get the ball. Eboue was just going to hurt Evra.

And of course, I'm very pleased with what happened at St James's Park yesterday  B)
 
Back in the Village said:
I just want to wish Eduardo a speedy recovery. No-one likes to see players get injured like that. Wenger was typically Wengerish, insisting the Birmingham player should be banned for life. Ok, it was a reckless challenge and Eduardo was seriously hurt, but was there any more malice in the challenge than in some of the Arsenal challenges on Nani for instance last week at OT?? Just because Nani didnt get his leg broke in three places and just becuase Evra didnt have his bollocks sheered off by Eboue's studs doesnt make the challenges any less cynical or horrendous.

It is time for the high, dangerous challenges to be eradicated from the game and players should be punished but banned for life??? I dont think so Mr Wenger.
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This sucks for Eduardo and his career.  It sucks also for Croatia this summer. 

Banning for life, though.  That's way too extreme.
 
I believe that Wenger has since retracted his call for a life ban - as EW stated, if they did that with all bad tackles Arsenal will have a much depleted squad by now.
 
Yes, Wenger went back on what he said later on Saturday. A wise move which deserves respect. Admitting in public that what you have said earlier was not right, takes some integrity.

It was also reported in the press that Taylor has visited Eduardo in the hospital and wished him a quick recovery. I think the best thing now, for all parts, is to get over it and join in wishing the unlucky Eduardo a good recovery. I read today that he might be back around Christmas if everything goes well. (And also that Taylor had been threatened with murder - by Croats)


I also want to give an :applause: to Spurs for beating Chelsea in the CC Final. Nice that someone outside the top 4 can also win trophies (even though the Carling Cup ranks below the FA Cup and the league in terms of prestige).

And tonight Everton beat Man City 2-0 at the CoMS, meaning the race for 4th remains very exciting.
 
Eddies Wingman said:
And tonight Everton beat Man City 2-0 at the CoMS, meaning the race for 4th remains very exciting.
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But it would have been more exciting had City won tonight - 4 teams would have been 4th= on 47 points.
 
Of course. But since one must assume Liverpool is the strongest out of those four teams, I think the fact that Everton stay ahead of them keeps the race more open. But now I guess City are out of it. It's going to be a three horse race for the 4th spot now. A friend of mine is a keen Everton fan - he would be very, very pleased if they could catch the last CL qual spot just ahead of their neighbours  :)
 
I have two very good friends, one from the blue side of merseyside and one from the red and it is increasingly funny watching them squabble over who is the best team and who is going to finish higher.

On paper you would have to say that Liverpool have the better team and stronger squad. But Moyes is a manager very much out of the Ferguson mould and knows how to get the best out of a bunch of players. Liverpool have too often looked disjointed, out of sorts, and too reliant on Torres and Gerrard to bail them out. I'm sure the off field distractions with the American owners is not helping but still for a team that were predicted by some to win the Premiership this year it has been a very disappointing season. Will Benitez be there next year?? Still the crazy thing is they could still go and win the Champions League but if you ask any Liverpool fan they want the Premiership, it's their Holy Grail. For the most succesful team in English history to have not won the domestic league since (I think 1990) is not an easy pill to swallow, especially since Man Utd have been so dominant since the Premier League was formed.

My predictions for the rest of the season.

Arsenal to win the Premier League. Man Utd second, Chelsea third and Everton fourth.

FA Cup to be contested by Man Utd and Chelsea and Man Utd to get revenge.

Champions League to be contested by Man Utd and Barca and Barca winning on penalties.

I'm a realist, but I am hoping Man utd do the treble
 
To be honest, I think Man U will win the league - there is now just a three point gap and they still have to play each other at Old Trafford, and as stated by me before, Man U know how to beat Arsenal.

Predictions surronding cup competitions are always a tough call - Chelsea might get Man U in the semis of the FA Cup, it's the luck of the draw. But I think this is Chelsea's best hope for a trophy and they will be up for whatever side they get.

All that really matters is that Southend carry this good form off until the end of the season so promotion (even if it is via the play offs) happens. And Colchester get relegated and Leeds do not get their 15 point deduction overturned.
 
Albie said:
All that really matters is that Southend carry this good form off until the end of the season so promotion (even if it is via the play offs) happens. And Colchester get relegated and Leeds do not get their 15 point deduction overturned.
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What would happen if Southend finished 2nd just to see Leeds get the 15 points back and take the 2nd place right before their nose? Would your lovely dog be doing physical harm to somebody in the FA?  ;) No, really. When the system is like it is, there is no way it could be defended to cancel the 15 point deduction - other teams have suffered point deductions as well and this is the second time Leeds have been set under administration.


By the way, after today's results in the Premiership, the gap between the top two is down to 1 point ... we're in for a fascinating spring, I guess.
 
For Arsenal to get a last gasp equalizer will have given them a massive boost as it kept them (just) above Man Utd. Boost or no boost I think i have to change my title prediction as Albie is perfectly right, Ferguson knows how to beat the Gooners. Arsenal also have to go to Stamford Bridge who, on yesterday's much improved performance, are still in with a shout of winning the league. I think Avram grant had them fired right up for yesterday's game and they certainly went about their business.

However I think so long as United can keep injury free to Rooney and Ronaldo they will win the league. They looked a tired team last year in the run in but with the signings of Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves I think there's an excellent chance now of a double of some form.

Poor old Kevin Keegan must be wondering why the hell he went back to St James's Park after yesterday's result. They are in real danger of dropping into the relegation zone despite the "too good to go down" tag. There has got to be something really wrong at that club. On paper they have an excellent squad packed full of internationals but it is just not happening. I know confidence has a lot to do with it but is there something else?? Any geordies out there with an insight????
 
Next Thursday, 06 March 2008, last 16 clubs in the UEFA-Cup!

Anderlecht v Bayern Munich
Bayer Leverkusen v Hamburg
Benfica v Getafe
Bolton v Sporting
Fiorentina v Everton
Marseille v Zenit St Petersburg
Rangers v Werder Bremen
Tottenham v PSV
 
Come on Man U tonight!! Game is made for them as Lyon need to score. Should make for some excellent counter attacking with speed a la Rooney et Ronaldo. I reckon Lyon will score one tonight but only after united have scored three
 
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