(UEFA) Football Thread - Football not Soccer

[Roger Wilco]

Then watch the game in a sports bar or something and spend the money you saved on beer.

[HappyDayRiot]

I do actually that for ESPN's Saturday evening games. So far it's given me Spurs v United and West Ham v Liverpool both of which were fantastic and cost me oooh the price of three pints and a burger. Bargain.

My friends and I also do a predictions game for the Premier League solely for bragging rights. I spend quite a lot of time bragging actually - I'm pretty good at it.

[StolenThunder]

StolenThunder wrote:

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I decided to put a (very, very small) amount of money on the football this weekend. I've never bet on sports before. Gambling, eh? How hard can it be?

Hey, there we go.

I bet £2 on Liverpool winning - got back £3.07.
I bet £2 on the Arsenal, Villa, Bolton, Man U and Chelsea results together - got back £25.95

Not a bad outcome.

[HappyDayRiot]

^ Wish I'd done that. I called all those games right. In fact the only game I've got wrong this weekend was Hull surprise surprise.

Thank you Michael Owen hahahahaaha I like seeing City suffer.

[Servo]

Best derby game in donkeys years that. Absolutely brilliant game of football. Definitely thought we were coming out of that one with a draw. Thank god for Michael Owen (never thought I'd hear myself say that!).

[StolenThunder]

HappyDayRiot wrote:

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^ Wish I'd done that. I called all those games right. In fact the only game I've got wrong this weekend was Hull surprise surprise.

Bit of a close call mind - I thought the Bolton/Stoke game was close but the United finale was really exciting, even with just two pounds on it.

Looking forward to MOTD tonight.

[HappyDayRiot]

Bolton v Stoke was close... but I would never, ever bet anything other than a draw between those two at the Reebox. Same goes for most games involving Bolton, Blackburn and Birmingham actually.

I can't wait to relive that derby game later. I also hope Bassong is all right - he took a hell of a hit on the head when he hit the floor.

[Starkers]

I see Sol Campbell wants out of Notts County already after playing/losing one game. I've no great love for Notts County, and his signing always did seem like a stupid idea for a league 2 club, but I still thought he'd be there longer than one game! Rumour has it Villa and Spurs are sniffing around (I'm guessing they didn't want him before Davies/King got injured! Part of me wishes County would demand a transfer fee, but they'd probably just shoot themselves in the foot if they did given the wages he's probably on.

Campbell even agreeing to join them must be the dumest move since Beckham decided to join LA Galaxy!

[Tomalak]

Hilarious stuff, and so utterly predictable.

[MNM]

Starkers wrote:

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Campbell even agreeing to join them must be the dumest move since Beckham decided to join LA Galaxy!

Beckham's decision is only dumb in hindsight. At the time he made it, his career, both at international and club level, looked to be nearing it's end, so a money making move to the MSL was a fine last choice.

He then turned everything around but the decision to join LA was already offical.

[Iasius]

Roger Wilco wrote:

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Hahahaha. Who the fuck is HSV?

Well, they just lost against VfL Osnabrück (3rd league) in the German Cup.


Awesome game. Osnabrück was leading by 2:0 until 15 minutes from time, then got the 2:1. In the 92nd minute, one of their players (who had been in the game for just a minute) caused a completely unnecessary penalty, leading to 2:2.

In the 100th minute, HSV scored the 2:3. But in the 117th minute, Osnabrück equalized. HSV then lost the resulting penalty shootout.

[dragunzng]

Interesting game against Fulham, who are quickly turning into Arsenal's boogie-team.

I have to say I'm impressed with van Persie, not just his scoring, but the way he's taken on the role of a leader at the club. I know a lot of non-Gooners who still see him as the petulant, ill-tempered rough diamond of five years ago, but being a father and husband seems to have done him a lot of good. He's still prone to the odd spot of madness, but by and large he seems to have matured into a pretty decent fellow.

[HappyDayRiot]

^ Isn't Arsenal's bogey team Birmingham?

I miss the days when it was Bolton actually.

[dragunzng]

HappyDayRiot wrote:

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^ Isn't Arsenal's bogey team Birmingham?

I miss the days when it was Bolton actually.

Has Birmingham really caused us trouble in the past 2-3 years? Not to be offensive, but I tend to forget they even exist. I don't think I've seen them play in ages.

Tonights match should be interesting, I'm impressed with how the team has dealt with the lack of Nasri, Walcott, Arshavin, Almunia, Denilson at various points so far.

I think we should really steamroll Olympiacos, as much as I'd like to see Ramsey get a roll out instead of Diaby, Wenger tends to be pretty loyal, so I doubt that's going to happen. Still, Diaby has a habit of shining against mediocre opposition, so I guess things even out in the end.

[HappyDayRiot]

dragunzng wrote:

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Has Birmingham really caused us trouble in the past 2-3 years? Not to be offensive, but I tend to forget they even exist. I don't think I've seen them play in ages

From what I've seen of their games, neither have their fans.

I'm not sure really. I just remember a paper that matched up the twenty PL teams with their bogey teams and I swear Birmingham were Arsenal's. This was a while ago though, so it may have even preceded the Bolton/Allardyce days. Brum did take two draws from Arsenal the season before last though! If anything they're Liverpool's bogey team more recently, though I think that's more down to Rafa being somehow unable to ever beat a Steve Bruce team.

I only had half an eye on each game last night, but Arsenal looked pretty good. Liverpool on the other hand... wow. They had a very poor first half and paid the price. I just wish one of our teams losing in the CL meant something - they'll still progress I'm sure. They'll progress even quicker when Rafa realises, along with pretty much anyone else, that Lucas is not good enough.