Soccer Bi-Weekly (16)
- Thread starter Jax
- Start date
OK, I admit it. The referee made several questionable decisions against the enemy (including letting us get away with a few near-handballs), and we were basically defending in the first half and making few attacking chances.
But you can't question the final score:
Scottish Cup Quarter Final Replay
Celtic 0-1 Aberdeen
STAND FREE and all that...
Bring on Queen of the South in the semis!
But you can't question the final score:
Scottish Cup Quarter Final Replay
Celtic 0-1 Aberdeen
STAND FREE and all that...
Bring on Queen of the South in the semis!
Very nice Aberdeen
As for my early questions think I have decided on what would be my 23 man squad using the same formation Capello used against the Swiss...
GK - Hart
GK - James
GK - Kirkland
RB - Johnson, Brown
CB - Ferdinand, Terry (C), King, Woodgate
LB - A.Cole, Bridge
RM - Bentley
CM - Gerrard, Jenas, Barry, Lampard, Carrick
LM - J.Cole, A.Young
FW- Defoe, Crouch, Rooney, Owen
Incase your wondering why only one right winger...because of the formation I would play Rooney in that position and leave Bentley on the bench.
Hart
Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, A.Cole
Carrick
Gerrard Jenas
Rooney J.Cole
Defoe
As for my early questions think I have decided on what would be my 23 man squad using the same formation Capello used against the Swiss...
GK - Hart
GK - James
GK - Kirkland
RB - Johnson, Brown
CB - Ferdinand, Terry (C), King, Woodgate
LB - A.Cole, Bridge
RM - Bentley
CM - Gerrard, Jenas, Barry, Lampard, Carrick
LM - J.Cole, A.Young
FW- Defoe, Crouch, Rooney, Owen
Incase your wondering why only one right winger...because of the formation I would play Rooney in that position and leave Bentley on the bench.
Hart
Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, A.Cole
Carrick
Gerrard Jenas
Rooney J.Cole
Defoe
England have just announced 2 new matches for May and August at home...
Also there is the provisional squad of 30 players for the friendly away to France next week...
My guess is after seeing all of them on Monday, he will announce his final squad for the very short trip over the pond.
Also there is the provisional squad of 30 players for the friendly away to France next week...
My guess is after seeing all of them on Monday, he will announce his final squad for the very short trip over the pond.
He, I know noone here cares a bit about the Austrian football league, but I just have to say it here too, that yesterday I saw the undoubtedly most glorious game in my ~15 years of following football - a 0:7 away victory in a potentially championship deciding game against the by far richest club and just going by names definately strongest side in the league, the #1 favourite to win the championship, especially strong at home because they play on synthetic turf which noone else is used to and in many aspects the quasi-antitheses to my own club (Rapid, the oldest club in the league, traditionally the most popular club in the country with the strongest core of supporters and the most people in the stadium vs Red Bull Salzburg, de-facto founded in 2005 as a marketing tool for Red Bull, no support, extremely wealthy but artificial, pure commerce no heart, no sense for the sport).
07., 10., 11., 17., 30., 46. and 91., as the game went on, I wasn't even able to take part in the chanting anymore. I was just standing there marvelling at the incredible improbability of this event, and the day after I still almost can't believe it really happened. I've seen some high victories, 6:0s and 5:0s, but they always were against much inferior opponents and not against a team that is ranked by practically everyone as much stronger than the one I support, and not away against a team that is extremely tough to beat in their home stadium, and I was there to witness it.
That is the kind of game you go to the stadium for week after week, year after year, driving around the country hundreds of kilometres, getting humiliated and disappointed, that is the kind of game that makes up for everything and stays in the minds of everyone who watched it forever - football is a fracking beautiful game sometimes.
07., 10., 11., 17., 30., 46. and 91., as the game went on, I wasn't even able to take part in the chanting anymore. I was just standing there marvelling at the incredible improbability of this event, and the day after I still almost can't believe it really happened. I've seen some high victories, 6:0s and 5:0s, but they always were against much inferior opponents and not against a team that is ranked by practically everyone as much stronger than the one I support, and not away against a team that is extremely tough to beat in their home stadium, and I was there to witness it.
That is the kind of game you go to the stadium for week after week, year after year, driving around the country hundreds of kilometres, getting humiliated and disappointed, that is the kind of game that makes up for everything and stays in the minds of everyone who watched it forever - football is a fracking beautiful game sometimes.
^ Hear hear. I felt almost the same exhilaration when Milan crushed Inter 6-0 10 years back though that is a bit different scenario. The other team you are talking about is Salzburg right? Trapattoni now probably wants to fuck off to Ireland even more quickly after that performance. I wished he didn't take the Ireland job.
Yes, Salzburg. And Trapattoni - I always held him in high regards, but he was already getting a lot of abuse for months - probably rightly so - for the antiquated style he lets the team play (and the lack of actual results too, especially in European Cup games) and after losing 0:7 in a very important game... I mean, how can a manager still look in the mirror and not resign immidiately? It seems he doesn't really want to go to Ireland. 
And after seeing the way Salzburg played under his coaching, I kind of doubt the Irish football fans will be happy with him, maybe he'll bring the results they want, but it'll be a culture shock.
And after seeing the way Salzburg played under his coaching, I kind of doubt the Irish football fans will be happy with him, maybe he'll bring the results they want, but it'll be a culture shock.
To be fair, it's not the players' fault that their team got taken over by Red Bull and re-branded - any more than it was the fault of the MetroStars players that their team got turned into Red Bull New York.
But at least in NY Red Bull are coughing up for a new soccer-specific stadium (Red Bull Park) and a youth academy - and unlike in Salzburg, Red Bull let RBNY keep the MetroStars history (so in theory, someone could have the team return to being MetroStars in the future without a whole load of fuss)...
...but even so, Red Bull went way too far in both clubs, in my view.
And funnily enough, there was a furore at a 'friendly' not too long ago between RBS and RBNY - the Austrian players had a go or few at the New York players, and one in particular (Dane Richards, I think) is now out for three months due to injury.
How nice of them.
Oh, and as far as taking over the Irish job goes - we'll see what happens, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.
But at least in NY Red Bull are coughing up for a new soccer-specific stadium (Red Bull Park) and a youth academy - and unlike in Salzburg, Red Bull let RBNY keep the MetroStars history (so in theory, someone could have the team return to being MetroStars in the future without a whole load of fuss)...
...but even so, Red Bull went way too far in both clubs, in my view.
And funnily enough, there was a furore at a 'friendly' not too long ago between RBS and RBNY - the Austrian players had a go or few at the New York players, and one in particular (Dane Richards, I think) is now out for three months due to injury.
How nice of them.
Oh, and as far as taking over the Irish job goes - we'll see what happens, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.
Ferdinand has been selected as the England skipper for the friendly against France.
Good choice Mr. Capello.
Good choice Mr. Capello.
So who is going to line up?
(My Guess)
James
Johnson, Ferdinand, Woodgate, A.Cole
Bentley, Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, J.Cole
Rooney
I do feel with no Terry as captain, that he might keep Terry on the bench. Its not the team I would personally put out but then again my 23 squad was different too.
(My Guess)
James
Johnson, Ferdinand, Woodgate, A.Cole
Bentley, Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, J.Cole
Rooney
I do feel with no Terry as captain, that he might keep Terry on the bench. Its not the team I would personally put out but then again my 23 squad was different too.
We are crushing Poland 3-0 at the moment. Watching out England you guys are next in line...
Austria just lost against the Netherlands 3:4 after being ahead 3:0 - the Euro2008 will be fun.
Mer. It was ages away and it was a pointless friendly. They're such a waste of time.
A bad night for England.
A very good night for Scotland, though. 1-1 against McClaren-botherers Croatia.
A very good night for Scotland, though. 1-1 against McClaren-botherers Croatia.