The association football 2009/10 thread...

[MickeyG]

A quick googling says it was against Sheffield Wednesday in September 1999.

[Hellsinkey]

Liverpool out of CL. How long for Benitez?

[Sammi_Curr]

Uefa is to meet with officials from nine countries caught up in a European match-fixing scandal.

The respective national associations and leagues have been invited for summit talks as their domestic matches are among 200 suspected of being involved in an organised betting operation.

Games in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey are believed to have been manipulated.

Three matches from UEFA Champions League qualification, 12 from the Europa League and a qualifying match for the Under 21 European Championship is also under investigation.

"We are meeting to go through the information we have got and talk them through the process of how we have been involved," said Uefa spokesman Rob Faulkner.

"It's a criminal investigation and as such we are bound by the prosecutor's office in Germany as to the information we can disclose."

Uefa's investigation is the biggest to be conducted into corruption in football and could have far-reaching consequences for those involved.

European football's governing body has already demanded that there be 'the harshest of sanctions' for any individuals, clubs or officials implicated in match-fixing.

[MickeyG]

Yep, Liverpool out, but I wonder whether the financial implications of it are over blown.

A good run in the Europa cup would offset any champions league exit. I think the big clubs probably do base their finances on making it through the group stages, but no further. There are no guarantees after that. Although it was never an easy group with Lyon and Fiorentina in there.

[Sammi_Curr]

[SLASH1976]

Did u guys see the second goal from Barcelona against Inter Milan ?
Fucking brilliant play

[MickeyG]

Evra should have had a pen and Rustu saved brilliantly from Brown and Macheda near the end of Uniteds match.

[SLASH1976]

Barca - Real Madrid 1-0
Ibrahimovic scored. Ronaldo played about 60 minutes and did well

[MickeyG]

Chelsea owned Arsenal today. They let the Gunners have the ball, but looked dangerous on the counter. And so it proved with a 3 - 0 win. Arsenal really miss Van Persie against decent teams. They'll probably win fuck all again this season.

I saw most of Uniteds game on Saturday and thought the first half was really close. Second half United took over and controlled it. They wern't playing anybody though, Portsmouth are shite.

[Hellsinkey]

World cup draws are released. Some interesting groups there, especially B, C & G.

A South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

B Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

C England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

D Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

E Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

F Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

G Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

H Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

[Rageman]

bold indicates my pick to advance.

A South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

B Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

C England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

D Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

E Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

F Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

G Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

H Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

[demolition23]

Man, France dodged a bullet landing in SA's group, not alongside Brazil or Germany or whoever.



Can't believe you didn't pick New Zealand to advance though...

[Hellsinkey]

My guesses are following:

A South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

Mexico and France, unless South Africa gets a great boost from the home crowd.

B Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

Argentina for sure. The rest are unpredictable and quite even. Greece maybe if they can score.

C England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

England and United States, but Slovenia is a bit of a dark horse.

D Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

Germany and Serbia.

E Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

Netherlands and I'm not familiar with Denmark's current state, so I say it's them or Cameroon.

F Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

Italy and Slovakia.

G Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

Brazil and Portugal. I think Ivory Coast has Drogba, but it isn't enough.

H Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

Spain for sure. It will be tight for Switzerland for the second place.

After these stages it's game by game and could be almost anybody. Though I'd like England to win, I'm sure it won't happen.

[Rageman]

Well, Hellsinkey, one thing I added into the equation that you didn't was the home continent advantage. I picked 4 of the 6 African nations to go through and you picked maybe South Africa and maybe Cameroon. Who knows? Maybe we're both wrong.

I think the African nations will all be stronger because they won't be far from home and they will have more support than normal. I wouldn't be surprised if an African country makes it to the finals. Oh yeah . . . Ivory Coast has more than just Drogba, btw.

Also look out for Honduras. They play some attractive flowing football and will not be a pushover at all. Look for a few Hondurans to move to La Liga after they play well against Spain.

And I agree with you about Slovenia. Definite dark horse and Algeria shouldn't be taken lightly either. USA should advance but one slip up against the weaker two teams and they're in trouble.

[SLASH1976]

Group G seems to be the group of death of this World Cup.
African teams seem to gather up a lot of yellow and red cards so I think they would have some players suspended in the third group match which is a shame really, some of the african teams got great players

Ain't to certain Argentina will go easily into the second round, their qualifying matches sucked ass

[MickeyG]

More importantly than all this World Cup nonsense, United put West Ham to the sword today with a comprehensive 4-0 win.

0-0 for Liverpool at Blackburn. Their season really is in the shitter, but they beat United and Everton so everything is hunky dory, right Liverpool fans?

[Hellsinkey]

Couple of nice goals. Gibson and Kuszak were good choices, couple of nice saves. Unlike West Ham's goalie, who was taken out.

Yeah. Both Everton and ManU wins were "a new start".

[MickeyG]

Yeah, I read that Green in West Ham's goal threw up in the goal mouth in the second half.

United finished with Fletcher at right back, Giggs at left back and Carrick and Evra in the centre of defence. Sounds like an injury crisis.

Good news was City beating Chavski. 2 defeats in a week.

[jellyheadrobertson]

[quote="MickeyG"
0-0 for Liverpool at Blackburn. Their season really is in the shitter, but they beat United and Everton so everything is hunky dory, right Liverpool fans?[/quote]

Don't get me started Mickey. I am thoroughly disgusted with this manager and the team. I have never been a Rafa fan and want him and his crap signings to go with him. This team is boring, have no flow to their game
and are often outplayed by lesser teams. Painful to watch, week in week out.

[MickeyG]

Yep, jellyhead, I know you've never been a Rafa fan.

I think for the best of the club, getting rid of the Yanks would help the situation. If someone with real money took over they would then have the choice of backing Rafa with more money, or sacking him and getting someone else. They could also come through with a deal for a new stadium.

Speaking of Yanks, I think the Ljajic deal falling through and Fergie saying he's not signing anyone in January is a sign that the purse strings are being tightened at Old Trafford. The Ronaldo money was not spent, as the Glazers promised 25 mil every summer to spend on players which would be available and added to any transfer kitty from players sold.

[Hellsinkey]

Speaking of Yanks, I think the Ljajic deal falling through and Fergie saying he's not signing anyone in January is a sign that the purse strings are being tightened at Old Trafford.

It's been said that they didn't get Ljajic, because they have enough midfield talent emerging. However they are looking at Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko.

[MickeyG]

I don't believe the plenty of talent excuse as both Giggs and Scholes are past 35 and will be quitting soon.

[Hellsinkey]

I don't believe the plenty of talent excuse as both Giggs and Scholes are past 35 and will be quitting soon.

That was the "official" reason, maybe he was too expensive. Giggs and Scholes both have probably a year or two. Let's see if they get a year's extension.

[MickeyG]

Giggs and Scholes getting another year each should have had no bearing on Ljajic though. He wouldn't be going straight into the first team anyway.

Maybe in the reserves there are good midfielders we haven't seen yet. Although I think Ljajic is already a full international and the clips I've seen of him suggest he's going to be a good 'un.

Also, I think Nani is on his way out. He hasn't played a minute of football since he bad mouthed Fergie about a month ago. His claims he hasn't had a run in the team are a little weak as Fergie gave him a run of about 5 games early on and he's just not performed.

[SLASH1976]

Any comments on Messi winning the golden shoe ?
Deserved or not ?
I think it is

[pieceofme]

Group D is the proper group of death imo.

[Rageman]

I still go with the consensus pick that G is the group of death but B, D, E and H are all very tough groups. I put B and D as both probably the most solid groups from top to bottom.

[pieceofme]

I still go with the consensus pick that G is the group of death but B, D, E and H are all very tough groups. I put B and D as both probably the most solid groups from top to bottom.

In all fairness Group G has 3 teams competing for 2 places. North Korea will be a write off imo.

Group D is a really tough one to call. I could see any two from that group qualifying.

[MickeyG]

Very disappointing at Old Trafford today after Chelsea dropped points again at home too. Why Park is preferred to Obertan at home is beyond me. Berbatov is still a joke. And Fergie thinks he doesn't need to buy in January. Roll on his retirement.

[Sleazyjack]

Very disappointing at Old Trafford today after Chelsea dropped points again at home too. Why Park is preferred to Obertan at home is beyond me. Berbatov is still a joke. And Fergie thinks he doesn't need to buy in January. Roll on his retirement.

I always had a feeling we would beat Utd yesterday , from the start of the game right the way through it, the Villa players looked more hungry for the win and with Milner, Downing and Young playing out of their skin they made Utd look ordinary and defensively weak (although another good performance by Rooney - unlucky with the shot on the bar) Berbatov is a joke, a 30 million joke and Utd need to buy in Jan or Chelsea will run away with it !



Up to 3rd now, hopefully we won't bottle it like last season