Dave Tackles The "Beautiful Game".

[Dave]

Hello folks and welcome to my football blog. I started an official football thread at the start of the season but it seemed to have faded away because I found it hard to keep up with the pace that football travelled at. I also found that I was trying to state things about subjects that I cared very little about, in reality. I am hoping that this will be a little more relaxed and I can talk about things that are not necessarily big news in the world of football. So, with that in mind, let’s get this show on the road and look at some of the news stories that have rocked the sport over the last few weeks.

Naturally, I just got done watching the second semi-final of the Champions League between Barcelona and Inter Milan. You know what? Fuck both of these teams. I listened to reports and read stories about how this match was going to be the classy Spaniards trying to pick apart the technical expertise of one of the best managers in the game. Needless to say, I was very hyped about using my last day off to watch this clash of the titans. However, when it rolled around the big kickoff, I found myself feeling very underwhelmed. In reality, it was just a diving match and showed the downside of Latin football. For all their flash and trickery, the Latin nations are plagued by cheaters, plain and simple. I recall a time when players were more honest and would try and get a referee to stop giving out cards and let the players just get on with playing. Not now though. No, no! It seems that today’s football is all about deceit and lies. What was billed as being the meeting of two of the best teams in the world turned into qualifiers for the Synchronised Diving event at London 2012. There was “Drogba’s” left and right and it almost killed the game.

For those of you who are lost and have no idea what a Drogba is, watch this:


Now you are caught up, we can continue to talk about this. This game was one of the best illustrations of how much cheating, and it is that, goes on oversees. All that was missing was the Benny Hill fucking tune and we would have been all set. As far as the football is concerned, not a lot of it actually went on. Sure, Inter Milan were reduced to 10 men but I have no sympathy for them. It will be noted that it was a “soft” red card but I hat Thiago Motta, so I couldn’t care less. The game never sprung into life until the 80th minute when Barcelona stopped fluffing about and actually trued to put the ball in the net. Personally, I was completely turned off the game by the amount of rough acting that was on show. How rough? Rougher than a kitchen in the Bronx, that how rough.

That being said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Jose Mourinho is into another European Cup Final and this time, with a diminished team. At Chelsea, he had a goldmine to work from and you expected them to be in the finals every season. At Inter, he has a fraction of that and has produced the same result. No one doubts his credentials as a manager anymore and to reach finals with Inter and Porto is very good going. I fully expect them to go on from here and beat Bayern Munich, another team who makes Tom Daley look positively amateur.

It should be a competitive final is both of these teams just play and don’t worry about the Oscar awards they are likely to receive when that time rolls around again.

 

[Dave]

A wise man once said that you can always measure a good season by the amount of fairytales you have encountered and that is especially true of tonight’s events. Fulham, a team that had no aspirations of doing anything of note this season have just made it to the Europa League final… Let me give you a moment to let that sink in. I’m just gonna put the kettle on for a cuppa. Right, now you have had a second to allow that to swirl around your head, we can continue talking about how goofy this seems. Now, I am not saying that Fulham are a bad team, far from it. This has been Bobby Zamora’s defining season and one that has brought him to the forefront of young players coming through for England. Personally, I think he should be going to the World Cup but I doubt that is going to happen and is another story for another time.

Fulham have done what Liverpool could not and that is reach the finals of a European competition and that is a miraculous achievement. Fulham fans must be in absolute awe. I would ask Tasty but I doubt he is conscious at this moment, having drunk himself into oblivion after dumping Hamburg out of the competition and not on the cheap method either. By cheap method, I of course mean the away goals ruling. I have never been a fan of that god-damned ruling and think it should be abolished. Plus, when matches end in draws , we get to see penalty shoot-outs and that is only good for trying to get people more emotionally involved in the game. How is that a bad thing? Yet, EUFA push on with this absurd away goal ruling that somehow makes one team more worthy to progress than the other.

However, Fulham are not in that position. They earned their spot in the final the good old fashioned way and they must be pretty excited. For the first time, they are actually competing for a European Trophy and I know I would trade anything to be in their shoes. Hodgson has done wonders at that club and has really ensured that Fulham go into the future not fearing anyone. Personally, I think that Athletico Madrid will be too strong for them come final day but I hope not. This has been a great story and I hope that they can do it. DO they have the players to be able to be competitive? Maybe not. But what they do have is more heart than a WWE Hall Of Fame. It will be a great match of skill against tenacity and heart and I can’t wait for it.

So, we now know who all of our European finalists will be for season 2009/2010 and no one, in their right mind, would have guessed it. We have:

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich (Champions League final)
Fulham vs Athletico Madrid (Europa League final)

If you did predict this, stop reading this and go collect your hundreds of millions from William Hill and your £5 stake too.

 

[Dave]

So today, I have been given a blessing from God. I have been given a very rare Saturday off. So today, I am going to spend my full day watching as much football as is humanly possible and that means a mix of Scottish Premier League and English Premiership and cram it into all of the hours in this day. That being said, this is actually a good thing for me. I have actually been very indifferent to the subject matter of this blog and I blame it on the demise of Celtic. However, today, I get the chance to get back into this old game and I am going to give it my all. So, let's have a look and see what we have on display for Dave's Saturday Immersion (or at least, the ones I am contemplating watching):

Manchester City vs Aston Villa
Tottenham vs Bolton
Celtic vs Motherwell
Dundee United vs Rangers

In all of these games, everyone has something to win or lose and I am excited about the prospect of them all. Of course, the SPL games are pretty much a walk-through for Celtic and Rangers because they have nothing to win or lose any more. However, Motherwell and Dundee United are both trying to get that last European spot and it could be very competitive. Dundee United, away, is a very hard fixture for both of the Old Firm and Dundee United always pose a huge threat at home. The Celtic game against Motherwell is always special to me. Celtic are the team that I have supported since I was young enough to understand the game and I used to play for Motherwell before I broke my hip. It's always a great game between these two and I am looking forward to it again.

As for the Premiership, both of the games I have highlighted are going to be really good. Man City against Aston Villa is my pick of the day. Both of these teams have bags of quality and both are trying to secure the 4th place, I believe and Tottenham are the same. The results today will be very telling and I would urge anybody that is trying to get into football to watch the Man City/Aston Villa match today. It will be very competitive and a great watch.

 

[Dave]

I thought that I would update this blog because of the latest provisional 30-man England squad being named. The names are as follows:

Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart
David James
Robert Green

Defenders:
Leighton Baines
Jamie Carragher
Ashley Cole
Rio Ferdinand
Michael Dawson
Glen Johnson
Ledley King
John Terry

Midfielders:
Matthew Upson
James Warnock
Gareth Barry
James Milner
Scott Parker
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Frank Lampard
Theo Walcott
Michael Carrick
Joe Cole
Steven Gerrard
Tom Huddlestone
Adam Johnson
Aaron Lennon

Strikers:
Darren Bent
Emile Heskey
Wayne Rooney
Peter Crouch
Jermaine Defoe

Key:

Blue = Most likely going
Green = Perhaps Going
Red = Probably not going

I'm hesitant to say who is actually going or not because England generally do some strange things with their World Cup squads and this has happened again. The fact that Cappello has named Adam Johnson and Jamie Carragher shows that England really don't have a lot of depth beyond their world-class players. You look at the players like Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Terry and Ferdinand for real inspiration and beyond that, there is a lot of players that really are not on that level. The reason I am hesitant to name who I think will be going to the World Cup is because I have no idea what Cappello is going for. A lot of these players are on the same level and it is hard to determine which one Cappello should take.

However, I have a pretty good grasp of who might be taken. I suspect that all of the goalkeepers and strikers named in the provisional squad will be going. The same could be said for the defenders but I am hesitant to confirm them all as going because I can't see him cutting 7 players from the midfield region.

 

[The Todd]

The fact that Cappello has named Adam Johnson and Jamie Carragher shows that England really don't have a lot of depth beyond their world-class players.

We really, really don't. The other right-back choices are Wes Brown - who is injured and shit - and Gary Neville - who no one likes but has actually been in good form for Man United lately. I'm guessing Carragher is the only right back/centre back available. Besides, if Johnson is injured, Capello may choose Milner at right back as he's done in friendlies. Carragher is a baffling choice.

You look at the players like Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Terry and Ferdinand for real inspiration and beyond that, there is a lot of players that really are not on that level.

Nope, we aren't a leading side for world-class players. Gerrard has gone off the boil, as have Terry and Ferdinand. Only Lampard and Rooney, and at a push Ashley Cole, are actually world class at the moment.

However, I have a pretty good grasp of who might be taken. I suspect that all of the goalkeepers and strikers named in the provisional squad will be going. The same could be said for the defenders but I am hesitant to confirm them all as going because I can't see him cutting 7 players from the midfield region.

I'd chop Darren Bent. He's over-rated. Good for Sunderland but not an International player. He wouldn't be there if Zamora was fit. Then I'd chop Barry (injury) Johnson and W-Phillips (Cole, Walcott, Gerrard and Lennon have the wings covered), Upson (he's shit), Warnock (Baines is better), Carrick/Huddlestone Carrick is shit. Huddlestone is inexperienced. Your choice Fabio.

 

[Dave]

I bump like a Champion.

I was going to set up a thread to talk about my thoughts on the beautiful game lately but then realised that I already had one and it seems like a waste of forum space to let it fall into the depths of oblivion. So yeah, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my football thread and I really hope that you find it entertaining. However, true to my style on these forums, it will likely be more of a blog and will likely be nonsensical bullshit… Most of it will probably tie into my love of Celtic Football Club and my hatred of Rangers Football Club.

Continue at your peril!

FIFA World Cup:

Now, I know that there is a World Cup thread in action right now and I am already cooking up a huge review of that competition right now. So, I thought that I would just go ahead and talk some shit about the competition and some of the things that have struck me. The Vuvuzela is one of those things and I honestly don’t see the big deal. I mean people complain that they are noisy… Well yes! They are horns after all. I mean you wouldn’t expect a brass band to be quiet, would you? People have complained that they are off putting for the players but I don’t buy into that. Rather, I find it frankly hilarious that the players can’t hear each other because it also means that the referee can’t hear them either and that mean that he doesn’t have to listen to their constant moaning for 90 minutes.

Thank you, people of Africa, for helping our referees in this World Cup because without you, I am pretty sure we would have had many referee suicides and that is just not fun at all.

So yeah, the Netherlands or Spain will be winning this years World Cup and I don’t think that any other team really deserves it, to be honest. I would have said Germany did but if they can’t beat Spain then the point becomes redundant and they can’t beat Spain… So… Yeah!

Overall though, the World Cup has been frankly underwhelming. No self-respecting football fan will tell you that though. Except me, so take from that what you want. We would never put our summer of fun, once every four years, at risk by telling the women that we didn’t actually enjoy the last one. So, as men, we will tell the women of the households that we loved it and we will wait for the next one to roll around in four years time with baited breath, whilst dying a little inside as another snooze-fest awaits us.

So fellas, here’s to another four years of watching what they want.

Transfer Gossip:

This is always my favourite time of year. It’s also the same time of year that I actually read tabloids with a snooty look on my face as if I don’t believe the words that are actually written there. Which is probably wise because most of them are completely made up. Still, it’s always funny to hear who your team is linked with in a summer of underwhelming signings and overrated (and overpaid) players arrive through the doors of your beloved club.

However, so far, it hasn’t be too bad of a summer for the Hoops. So far, we have been linked with Sol Campbell, Joe Ledley, Jimmy Bullard, a loan deal for Robbie Keane and have already signed Charlie Mulgrew and Cha Du-Ri. As Neil Lennon tries to put together a squad wirthy of beating a crippled Rangers team this season, I am actually looking forward to seeing how the team takes shape at the start of the season. Joe Ledley and George Boateng are in Scotland for signing talks right now and I think that is a good thing for us. Bullard, whilst being undeniably injury prone, is a good player and I think that we should have the makings of a solid mid-field next season. With Du-Ri, Mulgrew and (hopefully) Campbell in place for next season, we’ll trounce Rangers I expect. Especially if we can get Robbie Keane to come back for another season.

I do fully expect a lot more players to be out the door soon enough too. I expect Boruc will be gone soon and Aiden McGeady will be joining him as the funding for the new signings dries up. We’ll need to see what happens but I will eat my hat if both of them are still at Celtic Park at the start of the season.

Misc:

I don’t like the idea of goal-line technology.

I know that a lot of people have been calling for it for ages but I just don’t see the point. Blatter says that he wants to keep football the same from the top all the way to the bottom but I don’t buy that. I think that it is a matter of principal for him now and if he does show any signs of letting up against it, it will show him to be weak. I just don’t care for it and the mistakes are what get people talking after a game. I say keep it in and just let football be football for a while.

 

[Miko]

FIFA World Cup:

Now, I know that there is a World Cup thread in action right now and I am already cooking up a huge review of that competition right now. So, I thought that I would just go ahead and talk some shit about the competition and some of the things that have struck me. The Vuvuzela is one of those things and I honestly don’t see the big deal. I mean people complain that they are noisy… Well yes! They are horns after all. I mean you wouldn’t expect a brass band to be quiet, would you? People have complained that they are off putting for the players but I don’t buy into that. Rather, I find it frankly hilarious that the players can’t hear each other because it also means that the referee can’t hear them either and that mean that he doesn’t have to listen to their constant moaning for 90 minutes.

Thank you, people of Africa, for helping our referees in this World Cup because without you, I am pretty sure we would have had many referee suicides and that is just not fun at all.

I actually really like the vuvezela, not just because they sound good at football matches, but because of how much people hate them. I was listening to the radio and one cunt actually phoned up the South African Embassy during the opening match and complained about the noise.

So yeah, the Netherlands or Spain will be winning this years World Cup and I don’t think that any other team really deserves it, to be honest. I would have said Germany did but if they can’t beat Spain then the point becomes redundant and they can’t beat Spain… So… Yeah!

Pfft, I called it 1-0 Spain I said, everyone else I knew were saying the German's were gonna do it. Truth is the German's havent been very good this World Cup, they anhilated us and Argentina, but to say that both sides had incredibly weaknesses at the back was an understatement. The Spanish shut them down.

Overall though, the World Cup has been frankly underwhelming. No self-respecting football fan will tell you that though. Except me, so take from that what you want. We would never put our summer of fun, once every four years, at risk by telling the women that we didn’t actually enjoy the last one. So, as men, we will tell the women of the households that we loved it and we will wait for the next one to roll around in four years time with baited breath, whilst dying a little inside as another snooze-fest awaits us.

So fellas, here’s to another four years of watching what they want.

Hmm, this World Cup's been as good as any other, and certainly better than the last 2. I loved it, all of it, even when England were finally given the exit we deserved at the hands of the superior (yet still quite crap) German team.

Skipping the transfer shit, domestic football started to bore the shit out of me years ago, team gets money, team sacks english manager, imports some foreign twat, buys shitload of foreigner players.

I don’t like the idea of goal-line technology.

I know that a lot of people have been calling for it for ages but I just don’t see the point. Blatter says that he wants to keep football the same from the top all the way to the bottom but I don’t buy that. I think that it is a matter of principal for him now and if he does show any signs of letting up against it, it will show him to be weak. I just don’t care for it and the mistakes are what get people talking after a game. I say keep it in and just let football be football for a while.

Might as well have it Dave, last thing we want is for a bunch of overpaid ***** to have an excuse as to why they lost. Fifa talk all this shit about fair play, but they're never going to get it from the players, might as well have goal line technology and a video ref for penalty decisions. Wont hold up play for more than 20 seconds tops.

 

[TheAnimal]

I really liked the vuvuzela's at first, i even bought 1. But then after the England v Slovenia game when you could actually hear the fans chanting it made me realise that the chanting adds to the atmosphere. I think its great for the World Cup because it makes the South Africa 2010 one unique. But it needs to stay as part of that, it shouldnt make its way into the domestic seasons.

I backed Spain, so i may be one of the annoying i told you so people. lol. although i probably wont.

Football wise, its not been the best, there have been a some good games, a few great 1s but it may be pivotal in terms of the introduction of goal line technology, a winter break and new methods of officiating, plus some alterations to our FA/coaching. The colour and the way it was unique with the vuvuzelas has ensured it will be memorable. I think it also highlights the importance of success and failure. Brazil were doing what was necessary to win games 1st, putting flair and the samba style 2nd. Holland abandoned total football for getting the results. England were reported to be frozen with fear basically due to the worry of failure. So many teams were well organised and disciplined so maybe it explains the low scoring games.

And goal line technology is essential i think. I know its good to have talking points and controversy, but they will still exist because of the action and drama of matches, letting the quality of matches shine through or in other cases not. Its a shame to have great matches marred by wrong decisions from officials.