I don't get it. What's the fixation of Americans over Tottenham? >_>
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I don't get it. What's the fixation of Americans over Tottenham? >_>
Most of them don't know any better. I thought you Europeans knew that already.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolt
I can see why you may admire Wenger's Arsenal, but were you just as attracted to them during the Graham era, famed for its 1-0 scorelines, mass brawls and its foundation on the offside trap? When you think of flair, do you think of Perry Groves? When you watch Rocky, do you think it is Stallone's masterpiece?Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSCRrXwb1OAQuote:
Originally Posted by Pannonian
After all. We all live in a Perry Groves world.
I thought you were a man of good taste? ~;pQuote:
Originally Posted by Strike For The South
This is fantastic. You can see where each player spent most of the game. Eto'o and Pandev spent most of the game in their own half... defending. Only Milito spent most of the match outside his own half. Bayern had double the possession and double the amount of shots. Mourinho is clinical, and precise, in the extreme. Amazing that he can turn a touble maker like Eto'o from a striker to a second full-back with a high work rate.
Wenger has been at Arsenal since 1953.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pannonian
'Boring Arsenal' is prehistory, back when Napoléon crossed into Russia on mammoths and was defeated by snow dinosaurs.
Rocky I might indeed be the high point of Sly's career, which might be more telling of the quality of Stallone's long career than of the quality of the movie itself...
I never understood the Arsenal obsession with Perry Groves, clearly Gus Caesar should be their cult legandary character.
There's a thread in the Monastery discussing whether Augustus Caesar was a hero or a villain. Nick Hornby thinks he just wasn't good enough, for whatever reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnhughthom
"To get where he did, Gus Caesar clearly had more talent than nearly everyone of his generation... and it still wasn't quite enough. [...] Gus must have known he was good, just as any pop band who has ever played the Marquee know they are destined for Madison Square Garden and an NME front cover, and just as any writer who has sent off a completed manuscript to Faber and Faber knows that he is two years away from the Booker. You trust that feeling with your life, you feel the strength and determination it gives you coursing through your veins like heroin... and it doesn't mean anything at all."
By Rocky, I of course mean "Rocky" Rocastle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
My guess would be his work rate and enthusiasm caused his cult status.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnhughthom
The cult hero I'll never understand is Champagne Charlie. He was neither that good or committed, but he still is a cult hero, he's on the cover of some Gooner book, I forget which one.
Ouch, free viral advertising for a firm I loathe, but by jove this commercial is good...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE
What happened twenty-one years ago today? Unlike then, no prizes are up for grabs now even if you do answer correctly.
Why it's St Thomas' Day. A day Alan Hansen will never forget.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pannonian
Some cursing
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
"We might as well be losing 8-0!"
"I don't think that's really true Paul, is it? If you want to win a game 2-nil, you have more of a chance if it's nil-nil at half time, than if you have if you're 8 goals down. Do you see where I'm coming from?"
"You're living in cloud cuckoo land, join the real world!"
"In the real world, it's nil-nil at half time!"
The high point of his career was Cliffhanger, surely? Lots of mountains and stuff... :laugh4:Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
Speaking of clifhangers and thrills...anybody up for organising a .org World Cup prediction game?
Quintus (?), I think, did it two years ago for the EC. It was good fun. I don't think he's around much anymore.
Predict the scores on a daily basis? Sounds fun.
Ah-ha.
ESPN has an online bracket pool.
http://games.espn.go.com/bpredictor/...ctor\howtoplay
Basically:
- Group Stage - 1 point per correct pick
- Group Stage Bonus - 1 point per pick if team is in correct slot
- Round of 16 - 2 points per correct pick
- Round of 16 Bonus - 2 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Quarterfinals - 4 points per correct pick
- Quarterfinals Bonus - 4 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Semifinals - 8 points per correct pick
- Semifinals Bonus - 8 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Finals - 32 points for correct pick
For continuous action, maybe a suicide pool in the knockout stages?
Sounds good, but this one is done in advance, for the entire tournament. I was thinking more of in-thread predictions, all games including scores, predictions can be made on matchday, to spruce up the conversation.Quote:
Originally Posted by drone
Perhaps:
Group stage game: 1 point for correct result, 3 for correct goal score.
16: 2 and 4 points
8: 3 and 5
4: 4 and 6
Semi: 5 and 8
Final: 10 and 15
10 bonus points for tournament top scorer.
10 bonus points for predicting at which stage England goes out on penalties.
That sound okay? Or is ESPN better? Does anybody have another great idea?
But somebody (some internet program?) is going to have to keep track. I'll vote him/her for Frontroom HoF award! Maybe we can pester Tosa into grant the winner of the tournament an official award too.
I'd be up for keeping track of scores.
:laugh4: I think I already did mine in a Backroom Falklands thread. Argies knock out England in the quarterfinals on penalties. With Rooney hoofing it over the bar on the decider.Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
You could always do both a pre-tourney full bracket and a "live" predictions.
:yes:Quote:
Originally Posted by drone
That worked well for Euro 08. The full tournament with teams no scores. Live on scores, ad hoc, but before kick-off.
That's hard to predict as they will not play against Portugal...:laugh4: ~DQuote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
Or Argentina...Quote:
Originally Posted by Afonso I of Portugal
https://img683.imageshack.us/img683/...0fbb834143.png
That's right, England can only get us in the semis or final, but first Spain or Brazil will send us home pretty soon, therefore England won't play against us this time.
Mourinho at Madrid is confirmed. Bets on how long he lasts? Two seasons tops. The Madridistas will get irritated with his pragmatic approach. They are used to flair and galacticos, not grit and efficiency. They'll sack him, like they did Capello and Schulster before him. They don't like the style of play he uses, even if they are proud and want to win, they don't want to win that badly.
He was picked up cause he's a winner, not because his team play good or bad. In fact, in order to win he's the more secure bet.
That's not the point I'm making. What I'm saying is that like Capello before him he'll win stuff sure. But the Madridistas are proud people who have the galactico culture running through their veins, they'll sack him once they get sick of his approach. Which my guess will be in 2 season's time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Afonso I of Portugal
Well maybe. We must wait and see...Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychonaut
The Special one will pick up a Champions League and a Spanish league and he will gone in two three years tops. The whole defensive thing will go down like a ton of bricks in Spain even though they will like the trophy's he picks up, then it's back to England to win a Champions League with a premiership team my guess is either city or united
Rough Draft Pre-Tourney Bracket game
Groups:
- France, Mexico, South Africa, Uruguay
- Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, South Korea
- Algeria, England, Slovenia, USA
- Australia, Germany, Ghana, Serbia
- Cameroon, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands
- Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Slovakia
- Brazil, Ivory Coast, North Korea, Portugal
- Chile, Honduras, Spain, Switzerland
Scoring:Code:1A__________ __________1B
|__________ __________|
2B__________| | | |__________2A
|__________ __________|
1C__________ | | | | __________1D
|__________| |__________ | |__________|
2D__________| | | |__________2C
| __________ |
1E__________ | | __________1F
|__________ | __________| __________|
2F__________| | | | | |__________2E
|__________| |__________|
1G__________ | | __________1H
|__________| |__________|
2H__________| |__________2G
- Group Stage - 1 point per correct pick
- Group Stage Bonus - 1 point per pick if team is in correct slot
- Round of 16 - 2 points per correct pick
- Round of 16 Bonus - 2 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Quarterfinals - 4 points per correct pick
- Quarterfinals Bonus - 4 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Semifinals - 8 points per correct pick
- Semifinals Bonus - 8 points per pick if team is in correct slot
- Finals - 32 points for correct pick
Points awarded for selected team advancing, bonus if on the correct side of the bracket.
Tiebreakers
1: Total Goals Scored in Tournament (closest wins, not including shootout goals) ___
2: Total Number of Red Cards (closest wins) __
3: Golden Boot winner: __________
4: Wooden Spoon "winner": __________
5: Number of shanked PKs by England (missed, not saved, in game and in shootouts) __
Predictions PM'ed to me prior to the start of the first kickoff, brackets posted publicly after the start of the first game. Any improvements/suggestions?
Sounds fine, Drone. Two games it is then? :balloon2:
The other game, latest proposal:
Are you up for it johnhughthom? There will be a lot of typing involved. It is all yours if you want it. Tinker with the rules as much as you please!Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
This made me giggle:
https://img156.imageshack.us/img156/...2633019100.jpg
Yep, like the bonus point suggestions. Perhaps not the Italian one though, a smidgeon of sour French grapes methinks...Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
Should the games be in separate threads, or just lump them into this one?
Separate threads would probably be best, I think this thread will see some heavy traffic during the tournament.
The game is all yours, so use what you think works.Quote:
Originally Posted by JHT
I would propose Drone's game in a thread of it's own, for the clarity of the game. And your game in the World Cup thread, that predictions and discussions can freely mix with our official match predictions. This is how the two games were done last time, I think it worked quite well.
As for sour grapes about the Italians - nah. I merely pray to God every night to smite them with natural disasters until the seventh generation.
Unlucky Rio!
https://img180.imageshack.us/img180/...1524813699.jpg
Now where's Campbell's phone number got too.... :wink2:
Reviving this thread for curiosity purposes:
Boluspor, some Bank Asya Ligi contender -the league below the top-, has clinched the deal of the purchase of Marvin Zeegelaar who is a product of Ajax youth system, even managed to grab A team shirt here and there.
Is he any good ? Could any Dutch friend enlighten me for it is such a rare incident here ?
Huge news in Portugal:
The new Sporting manager, Paulo Sergio, took away the captain's band from Moutinho, which adding up to the last seasons club underperformances, plus the unavailability of the club to sell Moutinho unless for the release clause have finally took its toll. He was already unhappy and Paulo Sergio lit the fuse. He had an argument with the Director of Football and the President, and ended by saying that if he wasn't sold he would refuse to play for Sporting. Cue for Porto, who came to get the captain of a rival club. This is ridiculous. And there are news today that Izmailov has also said he wants to leave Sporting to join Porto.Quote:
Portuguese giants Porto have confirmed the transfer of highly rated midfielder Joao Moutinho from domestic rivals Sporting CP for a fee of €11 million plus the services of defender Nuno Andre Coelho. Moutinho has signed a five-year deal with his new club.
Porto only finished third in the Liga Sagres table last term and are therefore determined to add to their ranks ahead of next season in order to fight for the league title again. New coach Andre Villas Boas had made the capture of a new midfielder one of his primary targets on the transfer market.
The 23-year-old Moutinho is a product of the Sporting CP youth academy and made over 150 official appearances for the Lisbon side since making his debut in January 2005. The playmaker was named Sporting CP captain ahead of the 2007-08 campaign.
Moutinho was continually being linked with a move abroad in the past couple of months, but no concrete offers came in for the Portuguese international. Porto then made a move for Moutinho and Sporting opted to cooperate after Moutinho revealed that he wanted a new challenge.
I'm absoolutely stunned.
Yikes. Although, based on what I saw of Porto last season they need to improve at the back, not so much the mids. Anyway that's quite a coup. Sporting not looking good for next season.
Also, Braga keeper Eduardo is supposedly being offered around, how'd he play last season? He looked alright at the WC, so he must be somewhat decent, yes?
when does Sporting ever look good for next season? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Psychonaut
I was definitely stunned about the news as well. How come Moutinho can leave Sporting for Porto ? What is next, Veloso and Adrien too ?
Apparently I related things the wrong way. What apparently happened was that Moutinho came into the pre-season already with a personal agreement with Porto leaders to go there (!!!), and was determined to leave Sporting any way possible.Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftEyeNine
So it seems he did actually refuse to train, threatened to refuse to play, and spouted things like: "I'll never wear the Sporting jersey again"; "Or I leave well with the club or else..."; and that he wanted to play "in Porto, Benfica or any other club.". Take into consideration that he was for Sporting's captain, and the embodiment of the team spirit. So the taking of the armband was actually a reaction to the utter ridiculousness that Moutinho was doing. As such, I can well say "Good ridance." :daisy: mercenary.
Finally a centreback. Now a keeper and either a new contract for Sol or any other experienced head.
Yeah! bye bye rotten apple!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolt
According to Portuguese media Mourinho want Veloso at Real Madrid. Sporting want 10 M€ + Drenthe on a loan.Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftEyeNine
Adrien Silva is already on a loan at Maccabi Haifa for one season. He will probably called back earlier with Moutinho's :furious3: exit.
The former Braga/Portugal keeper Eduardo sign for Genoa yesterday.
I present to you: Roberto, the spaniard who has become the 5th most expensive transfer ever to the Portuguese League, the most expensive Goal Keeper transfer ever in Portugal, recently bought by the "Glorious" Benfica. In his debut, and already showing his tremendous "worth".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASREDSsgkv8
&
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZJT8rbJ7WY
Casillas's successor, no doubt. :grin:
:laugh4::laugh4::laugh4: I hope they play with him the entire season...7 M€ for this guy? unbelievable!!! and i thought that selling Moutinho to Porto for 11 M€ + 1 player was a bad business...:inquisitive:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolt
Conor Wickham is NOT a wonderkid. He's just an average player from Ipswich. :wall:
And, Citeh... uh? Didn't you hear about the homegrown rules coming into effect?
And the real reason Henry went to play Football in America: Handling is an accepted part of the game there.
I came up with the lame idea a few days ago.
How about changing the title every 2 years, following the end of the continental/intercontinental tournaments thereby, to praise the name of the fellow who makes the most accurate bracket predictions for the related cup, which would mean changing it to "Secura the Footy Goddess' Footballodium" this time, for instance ?
Who's Secura? That chick who supports United?
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Hahaha, that'd go down well, wouldn't it? :PQuote:
Originally Posted by LeftEyeNine
The Saga of the great Goal Keeper Roberto continues...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRX6zkR2f-Q
He's the one in the yellow jersey.
The one in blue was no better...
I kan haz made my suggestion with a sober and sound mind. :smoking:Quote:
Originally Posted by Secura
Best of luck at Shakhtar Dudu. So sad that your career here was cut short. I can only wish you well. And I'll always remember THAT goal against Burnley. :bow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gu4OD7Ul0Y
Warning. Rubbish music, play on mute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBOGfg6YhaU
Wha...?
That's awesome!
Powned.
The dive or the penalty?Quote:
Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
And guess who he plays for...REAL BETIS!!!!!! :beam:
:laugh4: best celebration I've ever seen
Haha. Barca are skint. :thumbsup:
CL Qualifications:
SC Braga 3 - Celtic 0 ~:eek:
Not a big surprise considering Braga finished 2º last season above both Porto and Sporting. It seams they keep a strong side, Celtic underestimate them and was punished...
Heh. Some surprising results, although Braga should beat Celtic, the Scottish League is a shadow of its former self. Young Boys drawing with Fener. Zenit drawing with Urethra. Ajax drawing at home toQuote:
Originally Posted by Afonso I of Portugal
PanaPAOK. I'm looking forward to the next round when Sp*ds get someone like Braga, and then lose epically to miss out on their only chance at the CL. :thumbsup:
Fighting halts pre-season game
Cagliari's clash with Bastia abandoned
Cagliari's pre-season friendly against Bastia was abandoned after 75 minutes after repeated fights between rival players.
The Sardinian Serie A outfit were leading 3-0 against their opponents from the neighbouring island of Corsica when the referee called a halt to the match.
The Italian side confirmed the fixture had been called off in a statement on their official website.
Norwich City fans 'plagued by bugs since team switched to brighter kit'
Oh come on, I know they're virtually unknown, but Urethra?Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychonaut
Repeat after me
UNIREA URZICENI.
UNIREA URZICENI.
UNIREA URZICENI.
:tongue:
And Ajax sucked, but I'm not surprised. No transfers this season, it's obvious you're going to miss out.
Will Spain remain our footballing overlords indefinately? The senior team is European and World Champion, their youth team is from another planet too:Quote:
Originally Posted by Psychonaut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkwmxuVicbI
Nice.
Fat Sam having a whinge about overly physical sides:
'I had to take David Dunn off for his own protection because the referee wasn't protecting him from the volatile nature of the Greek midfield just going straight through him,'
'We were disappointed in that sort of attitude in a friendly game really rather than playing football, they were intent on stopping our best player which meant it got a little heated at times.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdsoneVauto
Raul still has it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3pZaRvt6g8
Not bad for an 18 year old. That loan spell at Bolton certainly did wonders for his confidence, and he's bulked up during that time to. :thumbsup:
What start for Blackpool eh? Wigan were a shambles.
Porto should watch out thursday:
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/6578215/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/6511673/
Porto is not afraid of puny Flemish clubs!Quote:
Originally Posted by Moros
They have Andrew Good-Villages to lead them to victory! :grin:
Lol. Young Boys 3 - 2 Tottenham. xD
Sudden question for the British fellaz: Could you yield brief profiles about Tranmere Rovers and Oldham Athletic clubs please ? I used to pick these two in CM series way back in time.
Btw, Young Boys continuing their plunder. Glad to see we were able to do it comparably better in Switzerland. Gah.
Tsssk, stupid "penalty".