A great
article on two footballing generations of the McGeady family and a wee bit
more.
A loss to
Inter forty years ago still rankles Liverpool.
Here is a look at the last sixteen of the Champions League and who might make up the last eight.
Schalke vs. Porto Porto may have lost a couple of games in Portugal over the last two months but they should have enough to qualify against a Schalke side that made it through from a group that turned out to be very poor. Pick Porto.
Roma vs. Real Madrid I’m picking this one as my surprise of the round. Real has racked up good results this season without being consistently impressive. Roma has a poor record against Real Madrid but they have enough talent to beat the Spanish Champions. Out on a limb on this one. Pick Roma
Olympiacos vs. Chelsea If the Greek side is to have a chance at all then they need to win the first leg. Although two or their three wins in the group stage were away from home the first win (at Werder Bremen) was Olympiacos’ first in 32 attempts. The side is strong on experience but may not be strong enough defensively to win over two legs. Pick Chelsea
Liverpool vs. Inter With a FA Cup defeat and a poor league showing hanging over them this is Liverpool’s last chance for silverware this season. The Champions League and the former European Cup has more meaning to Liverpool than most other clubs but they are facing a side that it out to prove that they can be considered amongst Europe’s best. In three of the last four times Inter has made it to the knock out stage they have lost on away goals. Inter was my choice back in August to take Europe's premier title but it was a choice that was made with little conviction. Pick Inter Celtic vs. Barcelona Barcelona is the only side to win in European competition at Parkhead in the last seventeen matches. By the same token Celtic’s away form in Europe continues to be atrocious. A Celtic win in the first leg is very much a possibility but a visit to the Nou Camp will prove to be too much. Pick Barcelona (They will be happy that Dundee United did not qualify)
Lyon vs. Manchester United A side with the likes of Karim Benzema in it should not be written off but Lyon’s best chance of European glory may have come and gone. United’s movement in midfield and attack will be more than the French Champion’s defense will be able to cope with. Pick Manchester United
Fenerbahce vs. Sevilla Sevilla is finally beginning to generate some real momentum in La Liga after the traumatic experience of the collapse and death of full back Antonio Puerta in September. This is a side that has the benefit of two successful UEFA Cup runs, an outstanding striker pairing of Luis Fabiano and Freddie Kanoute, wide players with real pace and dash (Navas and Capel) as well as quality in almost every other area. Fenerbahce will prove to be a stiff test but Sevilla might be the team that surprises us all this season in the Champions League. Pick Sevilla
Arsenal vs. Milan Arsenal’s youth vs. Milan’s experience – that is how articles in newspapers and on the web are bill-boarding this one although I am not sure that is a totally fair reflection. I’ve flipped back and forward between the teams on this one since the draw was made and would not be surprised if Arsenal win's it. However….. Pick Milan
Here is a link to Jeremy's blog that describes his trip to Barcelona.
So, ehm, where can we find a link to replays of FOX Soccer Report's hard-hitting, all-revealing, feet-to-the-fire interview with Mr. Warner? After all, he spent a fair bit of time in Canada last summer and spring. Surely he was taken to task for this shady past?
BOBBY
Your comment (on Friday) about the ‘top teams’ wanting the ties at this stage of the FA Cup to be ‘easy (pardon my paraphrasing) was spot on. When do you think this kind of thinking emerged?
So which two serie A games did you watch, your thoughts.
How do you see the ties lining up in the UEFA Champions League this week? Particularly the ones involving Italian clubs.
JUST SEEN YOUR STUFF TA!
I’ve seen stuff questioning whether the Tykes can actually claim to be ‘giant-killers” in the FA Cup sense – thoughts?
No matter the draw permutations, do you see a final involving two Premier League sides?
Do you see the same disdain in other leagues for the domestic cups that seems to exist in the Premier League?
When was the last time a midfielder scored 30 goals for a English top flight team?
As an analyst on a nationally broadcast TV show do you get invited to many games?
Is the number of Premier League clubs left in the FA Cup indicative of :-
Lack of skill gap in the the Leagues
Lack of desire to win it amongst the Premier League teams
The Magic Of The FA Cup
A.N. Other.
PEARSON
Well funny!
WARNER
Pond scum!
DENIS O’BRIEN’s CASH
Well it’s about as shady as you can get. Sepp would be proud.
TOMMY SMITH
Carrying that for so long…really sad.
SCHALKE PORTO
OK
ROMA v REAL
Dunno why this would be suh a surprise for Roma to win the tie? This one might be the tie of the round as both sides will look for the win.
badly they don’t lose, when Liverpool play badly they lose.
CELTIC BARCELONA
This could be the BIG UPSET!
LYON V MANCHESTER UNITED
How much have Lyon watched City, West Ham and Reading this season.
FERNABACHE SEVILLA
Dunno really
ARSENAL MILAN
I agree; youth v experience is a poor reflection of the two teams. Stars may be seen to win games but the Milan Engone Room of Gattuso/Ambrosini Seedorf and Pirlo is the key for me. Could go either way.
Wenger says Arsenal should have 16 healthy for the Milan game... thats 2 short of a full bench. Not sure how much I believe his valuations though considering 3 unfit players were able to come on as subs in the Man U game. Flamini and Ade should be fit but I don't think those two alone will be enough if Clichy and Sagna are not ready as Milan vs Traore and Hoyte could be disastrous.
I think this is still why I consider the League the true measure of a team over a season. Injuries matter in the league but nowhere as much as they do in cups where a bad string of injuries can out a team.
Milan are also carrying some injuries so hopefully between the two clubs its a wash for any advantage but I would have much preferred each teams top XI then maybe Milans 3rd string keeper and no strikers on their bench vs whatever disjointed squad Arsenal put out. The key for Arsenal will probably be no Gilberto on the field as hes been a starter in all 4 losses this year and of the 3 games I've seen (Boro, Spurs, ManU) hes been outright horrible. For a team who's dependent on possession and slick passing a guy who's cheaply giving the ball to the other team really doesn't help. He really looks a shadow of himself. Sadly this might mean we see Eboue on the right again which could lead to some very embarrassing flops and tackles.
Doesn't Eboue's straight red card for having a cheese grater in his cleats at Old Trafford rule him out of this game?
Who won the 'Lanterna' derby on Sunday? Sadly, couldn't watch the conclusion coz of my committment to FOX's prime event, the Daytona Fi'Hunnert. Plus it was an awful first half.
Also had to tell my son to keep it down as the little ManU freak was laughing so loud watching the replay of ManU-Ar5ena1 that FSWC thoughtfully provided on Sunday. Hard to believe, but he was drowning out Darryl Waltrip.
Bobby: Aren't you just fascinated to learn that NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. really enjoys soccer and played midfield for his North Carolina high school teams? I bet if you interviewed him about that it would pull a better North American audience than a week of Jeremy St. Louis lobbing bon-bons to Ronaldinho. Added bonus: Scottish-born NASCAR pilot Dario Franchitti is available to translate.
Just curious. Was Jeremy's trip paid for by FOX or was it one of those corporately-sponsored junkets? He says MARCA got cut off for refusing to offer marshmallow questions to His Eminence. I'm not sure Jeremy's boastful adherence to this policy is anything to laugh about.
Last edited by flashman on February 17th at 8:28 PM.
Domestic suspensions don't transfer to European cup ties unless they changed the rules.
That leaves Arsenal fielding the same team but with Flamini and Ade starting from the latest fitness reports. Unless Milan obliges by matching injuries it might not be a very pretty game. The sad part about Eboue is his career is all defined by negative highlights. He took a no touch dive against Barca which led to a goal, broke John Terry's foot and most recently tried to skewer Evra. All forgivable by home fans if he had an ounce of talent otherwise like the fans of Manu, Inter and AC are willing to do for Keane, Matterazzi and Gattuso but hes nowhere near the likes of those 3. The harshest of the Arsenal bloggers never want to see him in a shirt again (I tend to agree) and because of injuries he might have to be in one vs Milan come Wed.
Last edited by JayAlves on February 17th at 8:45 PM.
Be happy to see Eboue in the Prem next year. He really challenged the groundskeepers at Stade de France with that trench he left.
Like to see Gallas and Senderos, too. Can't even begin to let myself wish for Traore, Walcott or Gilberto or Bendtner to be back.
Y'all might find this piece interesting, esp. what Kaka has to say about Step 39. Last few 'graphs. Good interview, overall. I like Kaka. Looks like a guy with much to offer the world once his playing days are done. Good interview, here:
I like the pick of Roma to eliminate Real. Roma have the talent, but it’s going to depend on Totti, especially this week because they are going to have to win the first leg. It’s hard to consider any result an upset at this stage, but Roma are definitely the underdog here.
Milan will be able to field their ideal starting lineup at the Emirates, except in goal. I think Maldini will start at left back, and up front Kaka’ and Seedorf behind Pato. I think Kalac (dislocated finger) will manage to start, but this situation highlights the fact that Milan must sort out their goalkeepers this summer.
Liverpool are very strong in Europe, and this is a big test for them. Liverpool can surprise Inter at Anfield but they are going to have to play adventurous football. If Rafa tries to be overly cautious, as he tends to do in big matches, it could be disastrous for them. Inter struggle when put under pressure, but have the firepower to convert possession into goals (the polar opposite of their city rivals). My pick: Liverpool.
Wenger tried to blame his team being crushed in the FA cup match against United, by saying the pitch was in disrepair. Last time I checked, both teams were playing on the same pitch. The better team adapts to whatever conditions they may face. Grow up, Arsene. The better team won; Simple.
Great work Mark thats some excellent journalism by you. As for the full quote of what Wenger said with no bias.
The pitch, Arsène Wenger said, was not to blame for Arsenal's defeat. "I want to make that clear," he emphasised. "We lost because Manchester United were the better side. But the pitch was a disgrace. It's completely unbelievable that you have players who are worth 20 or 25 million on the pitch and you cannot make a pass without the ball bouncing. The groundsmen were at the level of our team today."
And its true, the pitch was horrible. 6 days between home fixtures you would think the 2nd richest club in the world knew how to maintain a pitch.
Many of us come here for real insight and genuinely held opinions, not sophmoric one sided comments.
Anyone who listens to Wenger will hear quite a bit of analysis on a number of different factors. I have never heard him say definitively that one thing cost Arsenal a result. I thought he couldn't see the pitch anyway so how would he know?
What is worse losing 4-0 AT Old Crapford in the least important remaining competition or getting doubled by your cross town rivals who haven't done in it 40 years.
If Eboue plays Arsenal are sunk. I hope Sagna's troubles get sorted out for he and the squad.
Now its time to get pumped these are the games that we wait all year for.
I like Roma. Real have looked unconvincing against well organized teams. I don't know how well that describes Roma. For an Italian team they look less organized than others. But I haven't seen them much this year.
Arsenal could win, but I doubt it. Wenger has to play some version of 4-5-1 and he has no wingers.
I predict Liverpool over Inter. Inter have something to prove in Europe before I'll pick 'em over Liverpool with their backs against the wall.
The rest are gimmies which. My biggest fear is Arsenal stumbling in the league also.
"Many of us come here for insight and genuinely held opinions but must endure sophomoric comments."
FTFY -- This forum reminds me of having to put up with the occasional graceless and blinkered soccer parents that pollute the sidelines in youth soccer -- it won't stop me from enjoying the game or coaching kids.
This thread is typical -- some interesting insights from a couple of posters mixed with some appalling ignorance about how suspensions work and small-minded tribalism. At least we've been spared the more bigoted ramblings about dirty, cheating foreigners. So far.
I'll take Arsenal as it now appears nobody else will have them, lol. Oh and Chelsea, Inter, Madrid, Porto, Barca, United and Sevilla.
Cue the infantile rewrites for Rodgers and Hammerstein. Oh and the obligatory homily about the classnessness of gooners from Deacon Starr.
Maz:
I agree that Roma could eliminate Real, and at this point I think Liverpool will eliminate Inter, but they will have to come out and play tomorrow and not try and absorb pressure for 3 hours.
Milan always match up well against English opposition, and I think should get past Arsenal. To succeed Arsenal have to contain Pirlo, all of Milan’s play revolves around him. He sat out the first half on Saturday and they were horrible even with Kaka’ in there. As soon as he came on he restored order and everything started working again.
I don’t know that there are any gimmies at this stage.
Fenerbahce won all three of their group games at home including machday 1 against Inter. They could quite easily get a positive result this week and hang on to the advantage in the return leg.
Lyon have a lot to prove at this point, and I think will give ManU quite a run, who sometimes don’t play to their full potential in Europe.
Schalke and Porto I think is a toss up.
Olympiakos are heavy underdogs to Chelsea, but the Greek side got past Lazio and Werder Bremen to get this far, and did well in both matches against Real. Chelsea haven’t been playing that well of late.
Celtic can play extremely well at home, and if they can come up with something special this week, they can travel to Barcelona with some hope, even though I think this is one tie that’s a gimme.
LGB: I asked your question on the last Speaker's Corner. Question and response here below:
""Redfan2000 - What's your opinion on Inter Milan? Can Rafa's redmen overcome the blue of Milan do you think? Who is your favourite for this year's Champions League and UEFA Cups? If you were Rafa where would you strengthen?
Bobby – I picked Inter to win the CL at the start of the season but it was not a choice made with any great confidence. I think the glass jaw might come into it. Certainly Liverpool can beat Inter but if I had to pick this one I would stick with Inter.
Out of the last 32 I don’t think I could name 20 of the teams left in the UEFA Cup without checking uefa.com. I will have a look when it gets down to the last 8.
As for strengthening Liverpool? Definitely on the flanks – both fullbacks and two wide players. I know a lot of fans want Babel through the middle and it is probably his best spot. His crossing is not good enough.
Harry Kewell – I think it is time to cut bait.
Jermaine Pennant – not good enough.
Yossi Benayoun – gets a pass mark but looks more comfortable coming infield rather than staying wide.
As for the centre of midfield I would say the question (as long as Rafa is around) has changed from who plays with Gerrard to who plays with Mascherano. I thought that Mascherano on Sunday against Chelsea was the only player worth watching.""
Atleti, I shall be watching Bolton this next week or so, out of curiosity.
Last edited by redfan2000 on February 19th at 7:26 AM.
Inter have 15 players from South America in their senior squad - the most of any club in Europe.
Milan have 8 Brazilian players in their senior squad - the most from any one foreign country on one team.
This is possible because most of these players have EU passports.
As for predictions, I through out any idea of being able to predict scores with my performances the last three weeks. I retire.
Ringo, no faith mate? You should beat Olympiakos easily.
Did you see Chopper and Hoddle down at Hackney Marshes, giving out Carling balls? Chopper looks the same but Hoddle looks like he's put on some weight.
AG
Reading the really lame, ignorant posts is always quite amusing.
There's little vitriol on here, even Flash is more comic than cutting. Nothing compared to a fan in the flesh in the pub.
I just feel ashamed that you and I and many others are fans of LESSER teams.
Liverpool strong in europe? : needing to pull it out after a terrible start in the group stages is hardly strong - particularly in that group.
VVV
I'm not really sure that the nationality of the players at Inter or Milan is that important, more important is they are quality players.
Added to that Mancini and Ancelloti are pretty decent managers.
Having loads of non-nationals in your team isn't a garantee of success although most top clubs do have a good portion of non-nationals.
I say, Mark, how dare you, how VERY dare you, run counter to conformity by having a pop at Wenger,
That's my turf, pal.
But nice of you to remind us that Ol' Water Works was in fine whine mode Saturday. Had to laugh at the criticism of Nani for daring to have a little fun by juggling the ball. What did Ar5ena1 expect him to do? Slip on a black arm band in sympathy?
Someone wanted Ferguson to come out and criticize the ref for not chucking out Gallas and Gilberto and maybe even Flamini.
But all they could hear was him laughing merrily on the phone, doing his next call-in segment for I'm On Setanta. The Special One has got a lot to work with after this past weekend.
I HAVE AN INBOX?
Bookmarked and scanned - loved the picture - I've been seeing those sort of long faces for the last twenty years!
FA CUP DRAW
C'MON YOU GAS! Good possibility of a semi for sure?
Good, another Premier league team bites the dust.
Please O munificent One - not the pile of smeg that was the FA Cup Final last season.
Please lets see Chelsea play the winner of the Pompey tie, provided they can beat the Tykes.
THE FANS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FANS!
"Shiite ground, no fans!"
Barnsley fans at Anfield in the FA Cup
"Shittu and you know you are!"
Charlton fans' reaction after ex-Addick Danny Shittu puts the ball into his own net at Watford.
"You can stick your smegging roses up your arse!" and "I love Tottenham more than you!"
Spurs fans to their loved ones back home while watching Tottenham on Valentine's Day in Prague.
"We all know Posh ####e, she likes a bit of rough. When she's in bed with Beckham, she dreams of Michael Brough!"
Forest Green Rovers chant to their skipper.
NOTHING LIKE A FAT DRUNK TO COMMENTATE ON FOOTBALL
"There is no way Watford will get back into this match."
Paul Merson reporting with Watford 2-0 down to Charlton. Five minutes later they were level.
Redfan-Why do you keep calling me EGB? And thanks I didn't see that before!
Bobby-Where you at all surprised at the result by Liverpool v Barnsley? Have you seen a more under-achieving team than this? In any sport for that matter?
Craigy:
Just a useless piece of information I read somewhere last week. I am a stats junkie. Besides of the 8 Brazilians at Milan only Kaka' has a regular place in the starting lineup. Inter have a very South American lineup, and it seems to be working for them lately.
Also, yes, I think with Ronaldo gone, Milan will make one last effort to bring Sheva back to Milan. I think both teams are going to start off very far apart on the valuation of the player, but all parties want to make the deal so there is some hope.
Absolutely agree -- flash's wit has all the cutting edge of a declawed kitten and, with our lesser club having lost all of four times in the current season, I suppose the poor boy needs to release a lot of pent-up frustrations when we do stumble. It's funny because he reliably reflects his club's overhyped inadequacy. In both cases, there's plenty of bluster and promise but very little in terms of an actual end product or results. In his case, I'd suggest it's a case of trudging down the same well-worn paths of reliving past glories, revealing his pathological fear of Corgis and indulging his inner xenophobe. I probably should cede the forum for him rather than pick on him, lest I get another lecture from the Rt. Rev. Starkey . . .
For what it's worth, here's Don Fabio's assessment of the knockout stage in the Champions League.
AG
...but ossie and ricky - OMG! that was something special!
HINKY PARALLELS?
Keegans "I'd love it if we beat them!" speech
rafas "But my commitment to this club is 100%. We need to keep going. It's the only way we're going to change things." diatribe
Why didn't Gallas get punished? He clearly made contact with Nani. Doesn't send out a bad message that you can kick someone from behind and get away with it?
I know Neil Warnock can be a bit of cry-baby but I think he had some valid comments.
BOBBY
Nice sicknote reference
nice subbuteo reference
Many opine that Liverpool will do over Inter. Based on current form why?
Creative players for Inter - just Figo - you've got to be joking
Pele
Stankovic
Jiminez
Right about Ibrahimovic, likes to come deep and create.
Cesar is having a good season.
Materazzi certainly has the elbows and height to deal with Couch.
I know you are not convinced about Inter's defence , they must be doing something right; only conceding 13 Serie A goals all season and only four in the CL.
EUROPE AND LEAGUE
INTER AWAY
W 9 D 4 L 1 GF 22 GA 8
LIVERPOOL HOME
W 7 D 2 L 5 GF 38 GA 11
Footie the way the rules work apparently is if the ref doesn't see an altercation and they go back to replay after the fact the only card that can be given is a red. Or thats how I've read them and maybe misinterpreted them.
What this means is the ref and linesman didn't see anything in the live game and after the fact they decided it was not worth a red on replay anyways.
Personally I thought it was no more then a yellow and a stern talking to not loose your head.
As for Gallas it was sour but what do you expect from an old vet who's having a horrible game and the source of his misery is showboating and right in front of him. Got his attention and then some.
Was kinda suprised on the report tonight at all the cooing over Fletcher honestly. Sure he scored two goals but the real work on both were from the crosses. Nani tore apart Hoyte and pretty much summed up why Wenger went out to get Sagna this year as neither Eboue or Hoyte were going to cut it this year.
Last edited by JayAlves on February 18th at 8:45 PM.
Now that you mention it, craigy (re long faces), I've experienced so little happiness on the club-level.
Club-wise
Racing Club-- total misery & sadness, with the exception of the 2001 Apertura.
Atlético-- the 95/96 double (Liga & Copa Champions). Besides that, a whole lot of suffering.
Country-wise
Argentina--- pure love & pride through thick & thin for all things Albiceleste. Doesn't matter the sport. Football. Basketball. Rugby. You can't bottle up what we have. Puro sentimiento.
[EDIT: "Samba football" is incredibly overrated!!]
Last edited by atleti on February 18th at 9:21 PM.
"Country-wise
Argentina--- pure love & pride through thick & thin for all things Albiceleste... Rugby."
The Pumas were great last fall at the WC- a real joy to watch! I hope they get a Six Nations or Tri Nations berth sooner rather than later (except that the Northern Hemisphere teams, at least, would be too scared of the idea ...!)
"[EDIT: "Samba football" is incredibly overrated!!]"
Now, now ... don't let emotion override rational analysis ...!
"Bobby-Where you at all surprised at the result by Liverpool v Barnsley? Have you seen a more under-achieving team than this? In any sport for that matter?"
Holy Smokes, Batman! Aren't we getting just a little carried away?!
Not a great season for LFC so far, for sure- but the most under-achieving team ever that you can think of, in any sport? How long have you been a sports fan- since the New Year?!
I'm not surprised at all by LFC-Barnsley ... shocked by the ending- of course. Disappointed- certainly. Let down that LFC didn't put the game away after Kuyt's goal- sure. Wondering about player selection and substitutions- of course, that's my prerogative as an armchair fan with no responsibility to owners or supporters for team results.
But surprised? These things happen all the time in one off cup ties- they've happened to LFC before, and to every other "favourite" at one time or another ... and they'll keep happening again and again in future.
Onwards and hopefully upwards- without the melodrama, please ...
redfan2000: "... If you found the registration of the club in 1892 and can see the selling of the club in 2007, where is the listing for the change in incorporated status? Ie change from Private to Public?
It never happened as said, because the buyers could indeed would have bought the company through the stock exchange. The second listing is a typo plain and simple.
When you have deciphered the UK definitons, you will realise the selling listing can only be an error. Heavens sakes a public offical making an error? Have a nice day lol."
- I linked to arbitration proceedings from 2002 involving LFC, in which the club is identified as "The Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds plc (a Public Limited Company)"- note the PUBLIC in the record of judgment (see here for one of several related examples: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/ decisions/html/2002/d2002-0046.html );
- I linked to the official cash offer from the Duo (6 Feb 2007), in which they state their intention upon completion of the buyout "to re-register Liverpool as a private limited company", i.e., from a public company (see paragraph 12 from: http://www.londonstockexchange.com/ LSECWS/IFSPages/MarketNewsPopup.asp x?id=1400401&source=RNS);
continued ...
Last edited by Ursusarctos on February 18th at 10:15 PM.
- and finally, I linked to the LFC company records at the Companies House site, that showed the CHANGE in registration from PUBLIC to private on 21 June 2007, subsequent to the completion of the Duo's purchase of LFC and exactly as they intended in the cash offer (above)- re-register the PUBLIC "The Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds PLC" as the PRIVATE ""The Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds LIMITED". The Companies House record shows the change in registration, NOT the sale- the re-registration is the only point of the entry (see here, and enter the LFC company number (00035668) into the search box: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/We bCHeck/findinfopage/)
In the face of this consistent evidence that you were wrong- LFC was a PUBLIC company prior to its re-registration as a private one on 21 June 2007- the best you can do is claim an official made an error- about a supposed "selling listing" that you invented and that is not even on the site (you didn't even check the site, did you- just assumed you had to be correct)?!! What about the other, consistent evidence? All errors also?!!
The extent of your evident sel####elusion would be sad, if it wasn't so scary ... after all, how does it reflect on the other LFC supporters around here ... lol
EDIT: Why are self and delusion bleeped??? Are we to delude ourselves that no one around here is deluded ...?!
Last edited by Ursusarctos on February 18th at 10:21 PM.
We've been shiite (more or less) since 89/90, flirted with relgation a couple of times (including a last day of the season repreive on a late goal in another game.
DM has done a very good job.
AG/ATLETI
Dunga in the Copa hardly picked a team for Samba football - maybe foxtrot or a military two-step?
Argentina looked the most rounded team of the copa, unless they played with Tevez AND Messi to start
RUGBY
Pumas in the six or tri-nations - nice, they would get hammered in the south and maybe have a punchers chance in the north.
URSUS
Smegging hell! have you thought of a career in comedy? You'd make a great straight man to some bassoon!
:)
ODD HEADLINE? ANYONE KNOW MORE?
Manchester United may be forced to hand back the £12m payment for John Obi Mikel. (The Times)
THIS IS WHAT CHANNEL 4 FOOTBALL ITALIA WEBDITE THINKS
craigy – Who are you calling fat? Oh ,you meant Merson ,sorry.
And I still don’t get the gas bit and Bristol Rovers ,it must be new.
redfan – I just have a bad feeling about this one ,hope I’m wrong ,I usually am.
Didn’t see that bit about Chopper ,but when I have seen him he doesn’t look like he’s changed much ,I bet he could still kick a few wingers up in the air.
INTER (4-4-2): 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 2 Cordoba, 23 Materazzi, 26 Chivu; 4 J. Zanetti, 19 Cambiasso, 14 Vieira, 5 Stankovic; 8 Ibrahimovic, 9 Cruz.
Mancini acknowledged that Viera is not completely healthy but his experience is very important. I interpret that as Viera will start. Viera would play in the middle with Cambiasso, and Stankovic and Zanetti out wide, and Chivu back in defence alongside Matrix.
Corriere dello Sport believes Viera will not start, and Chivu in midfield. Also, they predict Xabi Alonso will start in central midfield alongside Mascherano, with Gerrard and Benayoun out wide.
Ursus-Call it what you want but Liverpool have been very disappointing this season. Maybe its because of my expectations at the beginning of the season but still there have been only two good spells of football that we've played.
My predictions are as follows:
Liverpool over Inter #### over Lyon #### over Olympiacos #### over Milan
Roma over Real
Porto over Schalke
Barca over Celtic
Sevilla over Fenerbahce
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
Thank you to all who take time to visit this blog and especially to those of you who post your comments and thoughts.
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