The Soccer thread

[Deestroy All 14,266]

6 hours ago, Cards13 said:

Every game winnable, every game losable...

next 2 games against MU in Europa with Saints 3 days after the second game, Chelsea fixture is TBC, Spurs but the rest against teams we "should beat"....

Meaning we'll lose them.

 

Although I was sure we'd lose last night, bit of heart and luck was refreshing.

 

This has been such an entertaining season.

[Cards13 9,117]

10 hours ago, Deestroy All said:

Meaning we'll lose them.

 

Although I was sure we'd lose last night, bit of heart and luck was refreshing.

 

This has been such an entertaining season.

Win the ones we should lose, lose the winnable. The life of a Liverpool/ MFC fan.

I don't think we will but would love to crash the top 4 on the last day of the season, and if nothing else for the Foxes to get up and win the title. The duo up front for them has been nothing short of outstanding and Raneri has a huge amount of vindication coming his way. 

[Macca 17,113]

And Man City can only manage a point at Norwich ... loads of possession but the sky blues just couldn't create enough chances (considering the talent that was show)

Now 9 points behind Leicester with 9 games left ... it's getting harder and harder to see them winning the title.

 

[Cards13 9,117]

Good, hope they don't get close to a good run home. Liverpool for 4th!

 

Good old hot head Costa was at it this morning in the FA Cup. Had a nuzzle, nip, kiss on the neck of Gareth Barry. The bloke just can't control the rage at all. 

[Macca 17,113]

4 hours ago, Cards13 said:

Good, hope they don't get close to a good run home. Liverpool for 4th!

 

Good old hot head Costa was at it this morning in the FA Cup. Had a nuzzle, nip, kiss on the neck of Gareth Barry. The bloke just can't control the rage at all. 

Watched the incident and putting aside the weirdness of what happened, he'll either cop a lengthy ban or he might cop a smaller sentence or a reasonably small sentence - much depends on what Barry might have to say. He'll almost certainly be out for the next 3 regardless because of the red card.

As for 4th spot, I reckon 2nd or 3rd isn't restricted to just a few sides fighting for those prized CL positions ... such has been the nature of the season that nothing would surprise me. At Southampton next up for your blokes - that won't be easy as they're thereabouts as well.

 

[Cards13 9,117]

Like I said Macca every game is a massive chance for a win or a sure lose for us. Has been up and down season but some positives over the last month... Surely after that we'll lose every game from here.

[Macca 17,113]

It seems every match involving any of the top 7-8 teams has a lot riding on it ... not forgetting the relegation battle that seems to have settled on one of Norwich, Newcastle or Sunderland staying up (Villa now look completely gone) Palace & Swansea should stay up but both teams still need a couple/few wins each to be absolutely safe.

So it's Leicester vs Newcastle tomorrow at 7am (with Benitez now the new boss of the Geordies)

Edited March 14, 2016 by Macca

[Cards13 9,117]

Foxes got up this morning 1-0.... Great stuff!!! 

[greenmachine 21]

epl this year in gold great to see some no names up the top

 

[Cards13 9,117]

Every game winnable or losable. Doing MU over two legs, getting down by Southampton... Ffs 

[Grapeviney 9,909]

Tottenham's first half - admittedly against weak opposition - was as good as I've seen them play, the type of football you expect from champion teams, and Harry Kane is in white-hot form. 

The Manchester derby was underwhelming, and neither City nor United seem capable of catching the Foxes, although both (along with Arsenal and West Ham) have an extra game in hand. 

It will all be academic if Leicester can keep winning. 

 

[Macca 17,113]

Spurs drop 2 vital points at Liverpool but can Leicester take advantage tonight? (their game vs Southampton starts at 10.30pm - AEST)

The Foxes have a chance to go 7 points clear and they've got unprecedented support to do so ... I hope they get the win because it would just add to a great story.

 

[Grapeviney 9,909]

And win they did, Macca.

Still a nervous few weeks ahead in the East Midlands but the Foxes are almost over the line now, needing no more than 12 points from their remaining six matches: @ Sunderland; Hammers; Swansea; @ United; Everton; @ Chelsea.  

Gunners have a game in hand but like Spurs, they can't afford to drop a point going forward and even that might not be enough to spoil Ranieri's party.

A Leicester premiership really would be the stuff of dreams, and the best thing about it - for us as MFC supporters anyway - is that it shows sporting miracles can happen! 

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

That Payet fee kick! Preposterous. Hope the Hammers make the FA Cup final so he can do something like that again on the big stage.

Arsenal have worked out how to win again but I suspect it's probably too late. The extent of their ambition will now be to get past Spurs ... for which they might also be too late.

[H_T 3,049]

Go Foxes!

[Macca 17,113]

3-3 at Upton Park ... excellent game too.  Neither side deserved to lose.

Arsenal needed the win to keep their hopes alive though ... still, both the Hammers and Gunners put on a great show (Carroll scored a hat-trick whilst Arsenal did have a lot of possession and didn't stop attacking)

We'll have to wait for tomorrow night to see Leicester (at Sunderland) and Spurs (vs Man Utd) in action.

[Macca 17,113]

Long ball from Drinkwater through to Vardy (again) and just like that, Leicester score.  It's so simple in it's execution, but it's worked all season ... defend, defend, defend and then counter attack.

Sunderland have to throw caution to the wind as relegation looms large if they lose this match ... 70 minutes in and it's 1-0 in favour of the Foxes.

 

Edit: Vardy scores again late (what an excellent opportunist he is) and Leicester win 2-0 ... now 10 points clear with Tottenham needing to win vs Man Utd tonight to get within 7 points - all the same, it's a tough ask to catch them now.

 

 

 

 

.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Macca

[Deestroy All 14,266]

On 9 April 2016 at 11:45 PM, Macca said:

3-3 at Upton Park ... excellent game too.  Neither side deserved to lose.

Arsenal needed the win to keep their hopes alive though ... still, both the Hammers and Gunners put on a great show (Carroll scored a hat-trick whilst Arsenal did have a lot of possession and didn't stop attacking)

We'll have to wait for tomorrow night to see Leicester (at Sunderland) and Spurs (vs Man Utd) in action.

What a great match that was, thrilling stuff. A Hammers win would've made it slightly better. 

Leicester just do the same thing over and over and no one can stop it. Amazing. Sunderland were pretty good too and still copped 2-0. Foxes can walk it in now and enjoy every moment, as if they weren't already. 

 

I'm enjoying watching Liverpool again, but still never confident. Was fun to watch our 2nds belt a disinterested Stoke. I'm expecting Dortmund to come and knock me back down to earth on Thursday after we were great in the first leg. 

[Macca 17,113]

20 minutes ago, Deestroy All said:

What a great match that was, thrilling stuff. A Hammers win would've made it slightly better. 

Leicester just do the same thing over and over and no one can stop it. Amazing. Sunderland were pretty good too and still copped 2-0. Foxes can walk it in now and enjoy every moment, as if they weren't already. 

 

I'm enjoying watching Liverpool again, but still never confident. Was fun to watch our 2nds belt a disinterested Stoke. I'm expecting Dortmund to come and knock me back down to earth on Thursday after we were great in the first leg. 

Still haven't quite given up on a top 4 spot for West Ham but we'd almost certainly have to win our last 6 games and hope that Man City slip up ... big ask for both things to happen but I suppose you just never know (although City seem to have a slightly tougher run home)  The Gunners should hang on to 3rd. 

Anyway, we (the Hammers) have got some nice momentum heading into the new stadium next season (we now just need a rich benefactor to jump on board!)

It's Leicester's title to lose now and barring a meltdown, they'll win it.  Their last 3 are tricky though, all the same ... @ Man Utd, vs Everton and then @ Chelsea ... hosting West Ham next up and that won't be easy either.  Tottenham need to keep winning as well of course.  Arsenal are too far back you'd reckon.

Here's the table again (this table magically adjusts itself too - I've no idea how that happens)

[Deestroy All 14,266]

Well that was about the best game I've seen apart from Istanbul. 

Brilliant attacking football (both teams) and a comeback for the ages. 

Sakho and Lovren getting on the scoresheet was deserved after they dominated in Dortmund. 

[Macca 17,113]

A  2-2 draw between Leicester and West Ham adds a twist to proceedings.

Leicester scoring in the last minute means they're now 8 points ahead of Tottenham ... effectively, if Spurs win at Stoke tomorrow they'll be 5 points behind the Foxes.  And they'll need to win at Stoke with only 4 games to go after tomorrow.  Spurs need to win out to have a hope of catching Leicester anyway (IMO)

Vardy being sent off means he will miss the next game vs Swansea ... and that's probably a bigger blow for Leicester than drawing the game tonight.  His 'dive' which brought his 2nd yellow card might have even been given as a penalty ... it continues to confound me why soccer never has a replay facility for incidences within the box. 

West Ham would be miffed that they didn't win the game but a draw was probably a fair result.  I would have preferred a win of course but we weren't at our best tonight (although the Cresswell goal was a beauty)

 

[H_T 3,049]

On 4/12/2016 at 10:57 PM, Deestroy All said:

What a great match that was, thrilling stuff. A Hammers win would've made it slightly better. 

Leicester just do the same thing over and over and no one can stop it. Amazing. Sunderland were pretty good too and still copped 2-0. Foxes can walk it in now and enjoy every moment, as if they weren't already. 

 

I'm enjoying watching Liverpool again, but still never confident. Was fun to watch our 2nds belt a disinterested Stoke. I'm expecting Dortmund to come and knock me back down to earth on Thursday after we were great in the first leg. 

Saw this game last week. Hammers were huge. They're in fine form. The draw against Leicester didn't suprise me one bit. They've only lost 6 and they'll be kicking themselves if they miss top 4 (which is almost certainty now). 13 draws. No.9 in fine form, good things happen when he's involved.

[Grapeviney 9,909]

Tottenham continue to keep the pressure on Leicester, thrashing Stoke 4-0 overnight, with Harry Kane kicking a ripping goal similar to the one he scored against Arsenal a couple of months ago.

But with Spurs scheduled to play on Monday nights in all but the last of their remaining games, the Foxes have the psychological advantage of playing first and being masters of their own destiny. 

 

[Macca 17,113]

1 hour ago, Grapeviney said:

Tottenham continue to keep the pressure on Leicester, thrashing Stoke 4-0 overnight, with Harry Kane kicking a ripping goal similar to the one he scored against Arsenal a couple of months ago.

But with Spurs scheduled to play on Monday nights in all but the last of their remaining games, the Foxes have the psychological advantage of playing first and being masters of their own destiny. 

 

All of a sudden the title race has tightened up appreciably  ... and all it took was one round of matches. 

I 'originally' thought that the title was going to be decided on the last day and that may still happen  ... Spurs need to keep winning though.  Also, Leicester will miss Vardy and he might be out for more than 1 game. 

[Grapeviney 9,909]

Some good news for soccer supporters with Foxtel set to launch 3 new channels from BeIN Sports in the next few weeks as part of the sports pack.

That means we get Euro 2016, Champions, Europa, some Brazilian football and all the best European leagues aside from the EPL.

Given that BeIN has previously only been available as an ad-on that costs extra, this would suggest a lot of people were threatening to cancel Foxtel after they lost the rights to the Premier League.