Football

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In the League 1 play-off final at Wembley, Preston North End only had four chances in the first half, which has just finished, and they scored from three of these which will be something for the Swindon Town half-time dressing room discussions need to address very urgently as possible in the second half.
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Jermaine Beckford completed his hat-trick in the second-half as Preston North End won the final 4-0 to ensure promotion to the Championship.

Preston match statistics :-
8 shots on goal
6 on target
4 goals

 

[Butts]

A very poor performance. Absolutely dreadful

The final result was 6-1 , Liverpool's worst league defeat for 50 odd years

Why is there not a greater clamour for Rodgers to get the heave ho !!!

 

[Antman]

Sheffield United have sacked Nigel Clough
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The final result was 6-1 , Liverpool's worst league defeat for 50 odd years

Why is there not a greater clamour for Rodgers to get the heave ho !!!

I thought there was a clamour even before yesterdays result although on a positive note they drew the second half 1-1 and Steve Gerrard got his farewell goal

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I thought there was a clamour even before yesterdays result although on a positive note they drew the second half 1-1 and Steve Gerrard got his farewell goal

They lost their fifth place in the table to Tottenham Hotspur on the final day.

 

[bb21]

Boro absolutely bottling it. Shame, I thought it was gonna be a more evenly-matched contest.

Why does Bamford just stand in the area waiting for the ball to fall to him? Attack the ball you lazy git!

 

[DarloRich]

Boro absolutely bottling it. Shame, I thought it was gonna be a more evenly-matched contest.

Why does Bamford just stand in the area waiting for the ball to fall to him? Attack the ball you lazy git!

Bamford is on one leg and shouldnt have started. BIG gamble that hasnt worked
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Since I may never have another chance to say his name on here - is it Brian Close?

Sadly not - although he was a solid player for Darlo!
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We have 3 of the 6 men to have [plaed for Middlesbrouh, Sunderland and Newcastle:

Foggon
Given
Anderson

 

[bb21]

Bamford is on one leg and shouldnt have started. BIG gamble that hasnt worked

If he weren't fully fit then that was a very bad decision by Karanka.

Although tbf it's not just Bamford though. They just didn't seem to be able to string two passes together, and god only knows what Ayala was thinking for that first goal.
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Coming into it a bit more now. Poor decision by Mike Dean. Should have been corner.

 

[Butts]

Well done Alex Neil and Norwich City....

From Hamilton Academicals to the Premiership in less than a year - one to watch

 

[bb21]

They were certainly very effective in the first half, and wrapped up the game in these first 45 minutes.

The second half was more even but the damage was already done by then.

 

[507021]

The final result was 6-1 , Liverpool's worst league defeat for 50 odd years

Why is there not a greater clamour for Rodgers to get the heave ho !!!

That result was beyond poor - absolutely no excuses whatsoever

After that result I think he should resign. The team simply isn't good enough at the moment and with the club's strikers managing an extremely poor thirteen goals between them all season I think the squad needs some serious investment - and I think the club needs a new manager

Finishing 2nd last season and finishing 6th this season is totally unacceptable

 

[HilversumNS]

We have 3 of the 6 men to have [plaed for Middlesbrouh, Sunderland and Newcastle:

Foggon
Given
Anderson

The other 3 are Joseph Blackett, William Agnew and Tommy Urwin.



Another little brain teaser .... which player has played in both Merseyside derby matches for both teams in the same season?

 

[scott118]

which player has played in both Merseyside derby matches for both teams in the same season?

Abel Xavier

 

[HilversumNS]

Abel Xavier

Well done.

 

[Darandio]

The managerial merry-go-round has started in earnest.

Nigel Clough has been sacked by Sheff Utd this afternoon, Steve McClaren was sacked by Derby earlier this evening. It appears that Carlo Ancelotti has just gone from Real Madrid as well, which paves the way for his assistant Paul Clement to go to Derby.

 

[Antman]

Boro absolutely bottling it. Shame, I thought it was gonna be a more evenly-matched contest.

Why does Bamford just stand in the area waiting for the ball to fall to him? Attack the ball you lazy git!

Boro arrived late after underestimating the traffic, it's questionable whether they turned up at all, the game was all but over after 15 minutes.

Apparently Jose Mourinho was there watching Bamford

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If he weren't fully fit then that was a very bad decision by Karanka.

Although tbf it's not just Bamford though. They just didn't seem to be able to string two passes together, and god only knows what Ayala was thinking for that first goal.
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Coming into it a bit more now. Poor decision by Mike Dean. Should have been corner.

This game confirmed the suspicion of many Huddersfield Town fans that we've well and truly had Steve Gibson's pants down over Adam Clayton, especially as we got Jacob Butterfield into the bargain too.

With Norwich up, that's one less nightmare of a journey for away supporters everywhere in the 2nd Division (as it should still be called), too.

 

[Butts]

The managerial merry-go-round has started in earnest.

Nigel Clough has been sacked by Sheff Utd this afternoon, Steve McClaren was sacked by Derby earlier this evening. It appears that Carlo Ancelotti has just gone from Real Madrid as well, which paves the way for his assistant Paul Clement to go to Derby.

And Rafa to take over at Real Madrid ???

Got to feel sorry for Ancelloti , win the Champions League and get sacked the following season despite finishing 2nd in the league. By that Yardstick Rodgers should be straight out of the door

 

[Antman]

And Rafa to take over at Real Madrid ???

Got to feel sorry for Ancelloti , win the Champions League and get sacked the following season despite finishing 2nd in the league. By that Yardstick Rodgers should be straight out of the door

Ancelloti was also sacked by Chelsea after doing the double the previous season and using that as a yardstick Arsen 'specialist in failure' Wenger should have been out the door years ago

 

[Butts]

Ancelloti was also sacked by Chelsea after doing the double the previous season and using that as a yardstick Arsen 'specialist in failure' Wenger should have been out the door years ago

But both have actually won something unlike Rodgers

 

[Clip]

Well lets hope after the Interview Ashley gave at the weekend he will invest in the team and try and get a decent manager and hopefully a cup run together.

I doubt it though.

 

[zuriblue]

With Norwich up, that's one less nightmare of a journey for away supporters everywhere in the 2nd Division (as it should still be called), too.

But it's going to be interesting in the Prem again. Manchester to Bournemouth (4 hours via Euston) and Manchester to Norwich (5 hours on a Sprinter - oh joy). Bournemouth tickets'll be like gold dust.

Swansea's also a b**g*r to get to. Last weekend every hotel room in the town was booked out.

Obviously it'll be easier for United fans.

 

[CC 72100]

I've just seen Fellaini's sending off from the weekend - absolutely deserved and complete idiot.

However, surprised (or not considering the way round it was? ) to see no mention on here of Abel Hernandez's punch on Phil Jones. Absolutely disgusting, made worse for me by the fact that it had no influence on the game in the same way a poor tackle does.

 

[Antman]

I've just seen Fellaini's sending off from the weekend - absolutely deserved and complete idiot.

However, surprised (or not considering the way round it was? ) to see no mention on here of Abel Hernandez's punch on Phil Jones. Absolutely disgusting, made worse for me by the fact that it had no influence on the game in the same way a poor tackle does.

I totally agree and I would imagine there will be retrospective action against Hernandez, I certainly hope so and at very least a three match ban

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I totally agree and I would imagine there will be retrospective action against Hernandez, I certainly hope so and at very least a three match ban

He has now been charged with the offence of violent conduct and has until the end of today in which to make a formal reply to that charge.

 

[zuriblue]

NEWS HEADLINES

FIFA officials charged with financial corruption.

In other news...

Pope accused of Catholicism
Yogi guilty of woodland defecation..

http://www.theguardian.com/football...officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges-live

The suspects, who are said to include a Fifa vice-president, have been detained pending extradition to the US.
It involves alleged bribes worth about $100m (£65m; €92m) over two decades.
Fifa members are gathering in Zurich for their annual meeting on Friday, where incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term.
However, Mr Blatter is not understood to be one of those arrested.
'Seeking clarification'
The New York Times says plain-clothed police officers took the room keys from the reception of Baur au Lac hotel, where the officials were staying, and headed to their rooms. It said the operation was carried out peacefully.
Jeffrey Webb - head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean - has been named as one of the officials arrested, says the BBC's Richard Conway, who is at the Zurich hotel.
Other Fifa officials seen by the BBC escorted by police from the hotel include:
Costa Rica's Eduardo Li, who was due to join Fifa's executive committee on Friday
Uruguay's Eugenio Figueredo, president of South American football governing body Conmebol
Brazil's Jose Maria Marin, a member of Fifa's club committee. Police were seen carrying his suitcase and some of his possessions in plastic bags

 

[61653 HTAFC]

But it's going to be interesting in the Prem again. Manchester to Bournemouth (4 hours via Euston) and Manchester to Norwich (5 hours on a Sprinter - oh joy). Bournemouth tickets'll be like gold dust.

Swansea's also a b**g*r to get to. Last weekend every hotel room in the town was booked out.

Obviously it'll be easier for United fans.

I remember the old jokes about traffic jams on the M5 whenever United were playing at home! My moan about Norwich was regarding getting there by road. By rail it isn't too bad, from here at least. Direct from Piccadilly for you, but unless that fixture comes on the same weekend as the Grand National it'll be a tight squeeze!

NEWS HEADLINES

FIFA officials charged with financial corruption.

In other news...

Pope accused of Catholicism
Yogi guilty of woodland defecation..

http://www.theguardian.com/football...officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges-live

The corruption isn't a surprise, anyone being charged with it probably is*.

*=unless it's just Sepp destroying the competition, that is.

 

[Antman]

Andy King, probably best remembered for his time at Everton, has sadly passed away after suffering a heart attack.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The corruption isn't a surprise, anyone being charged with it probably is*.

*=unless it's just Sepp destroying the competition, that is.

Was the involvement with the US government department involved concerned anything to do with the statement that the US dollar was the currency involved in any illegal payments and bribes?

I was not aware that Blatter had any involvement with those same US bodies.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Was the involvement with the US government department involved concerned anything to do with the statement that the US dollar was the currency involved in any illegal payments and bribes?

I was not aware that Blatter had any involvement with those same US bodies.

Indeed as more information has emerged, Blatter's position may well become under threat... Though if he goes ahead with and wins the presidential election he doesn't seem to give a monkeys about how bad things look. Perhaps a mass exit from FIFA by a number of leading associations is the way forward?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Was the involvement with the US government department involved concerned anything to do with the statement that the US dollar was the currency involved in any illegal payments and bribes?

It isn't just that: two of the companies involved- a major sportswear firm and a TV company- are American, the bribes were channeled through the Bank of America, and the person who's singing like a canary is a US citizen up on charges of tax evasion.

I don't agree that Blatter's position is under threat. Blatter is a clever person, and if corruption is as endemic as it appears in FIFA, any attempt to bring him down will simply see him squeal like a piggy. You don't force out the man who knows where the (figurative) bodies are buried.