2007/2008 European football thread

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

Just use spoiler warnings at the top of your posts

Its as easy as that

And I can't help that you live in a nation where its damn near impossible to watch football on TV without playing for it and even things like highlights are milked for profit

But until we can all attain the bababui lifestyle of watching tv for 23 hours a day lets just please use spoiler warnings when talking about life matches

Fixed for truth

[ukhotstove]

My game reports will only last another week as it's back to work in a weeks time and wont be able to do any after that, the list below are the live games that I'll be able to watch although on the 22nd there are *3 that kick off more or less the sametime but I'm not a big fan of friendlies (not enough passion too many subs) so I'll probably do the Denmark v Ireland one as it's a Euro Qualifier, the Bulgaria v Wales one kicks of earlier and probably wont do the City v United derby game as it's an early kick off and maybe most of you will be watching it tape delayed anyways.

Sat 18 Portsmouth v Bolton
Sat 18 Stoke City v Charlton Athletic
Sun 19 Man City v Man Utd
Sun 19 Liverpool v Chelsea
Tue 21 England v Romania (under 21's)
Wed 22 Bulgaria v Wales
Wed 22 *Scotland v South Africa (friendly)
Wed 22 *Denmark v Rep of Ireland
Wed 22 *England v Germany (friendly)
Sat 25 Sunderland v Liverpool
Sat 25 Sheff Utd v West Brom

[ukhotstove]

Couple of hours to go before we get to know the England squad to face Germany next Wednesday and probably the squad that will face Israel and Russia, with Rooney out and Owen probably on the subs bench for Newcastle this weekend then should be a straight swap with those two.

[LFC1892]

England squad: Robinson(Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa), Richards (Manchester City), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Campbell (Portsmouth), Taylor (Newcastle), Neville (Everton), Shorey (Reading), Beckham, Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester United), Barry (Aston Villa), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (West Ham), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Smith (Newcastle), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Bent (Tottenham), Johnson (Everton), Defoe (Tottenham).

Will Owen really be first choice to replace Shrek? When did he play last?

[ukhotstove]

No real surprise's.

Robinson (Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa), Richards (Manchester City), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Campbell (Portsmouth), Taylor (Newcastle), Neville (Everton), Shorey (Reading), Beckham (LA Galaxy), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester United), Barry (Aston Villa), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (West Ham), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Smith (Newcastle), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Bent (Tottenham), Johnson (Everton), Defoe (Tottenham).

[ukhotstove]

Originally Posted by LFC1892

England squad: Robinson(Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Liverpool, on loan at Aston Villa), Richards (Manchester City), Brown (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Campbell (Portsmouth), Taylor (Newcastle), Neville (Everton), Shorey (Reading), Beckham, Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester United), Barry (Aston Villa), Downing (Middlesbrough), Dyer (West Ham), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Smith (Newcastle), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Bent (Tottenham), Johnson (Everton), Defoe (Tottenham).

Will Owen really be first choice to replace Shrek? When did he play last?

But out of that squad who does he play Crouch, not good enough to start for Liverpool so imo isn't good enough to start for England, Defoe ? re Crouch, Bent ? re Crouch, so that only leaves Johnson and Owen who are fulltime starters for their clubs. Have to be honest at the moment England have alot of very ordinary players.

[ukhotstove]

Everybody aka Benitez and McLaren are saying Gerrard will play against Chelsea at the weekend but will not play against Germany because he is injured, wtf is he doing in the squad for and if he isn't fit for England why is he fit for Liverpool ? Do they have a crystal ball that his injury will worsen against Chelsea

[LFC1892]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Do they have a crystal ball that his injury will worsen against Chelsea

Maybe they do....didnt a former England manager use a faith healer or psychic or something in the build up to a WC?

[LFC1892]

Yeah, found it...

On the international stage, Hoddle guided England to qualification for the 1998 World Cup, securing the team's entry with a memorable 0-0 draw in Rome against Italy. However, he caused controversy by omitting Paul Gascoigne from the squad and installing supposed faith healer Eileen Drewery as part of the England coaching staff, which led to the team being dubbed "The Hod Squad"

[ukhotstove]

A little question that I came across today, to be honest would have taken me a bit to work it out.

Which British player never won a European Cup (Champions League) medal but played for 4 teams that have won the European Cup, I've given enough clues in the question so no more clues

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

But out of that squad who does he play Crouch, not good enough to start for Liverpool so imo isn't good enough to start for England, Defoe ? re Crouch, Bent ? re Crouch, so that only leaves Johnson and Owen who are fulltime starters for their clubs. Have to be honest at the moment England have alot of very ordinary players.

When did Owen last start a game? Crouch (though I'm not his biggest fan) had a good scoring record last season and offers 'something different'. I'd probably start Bent & Johnson. If I were a Newcastle fan, I'd be getting bored of Owen's "If England are playing, I'm fit" nonsense. He seems to forget who pays his wages, which leads on to...

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Everybody aka Benitez and McLaren are saying Gerrard will play against Chelsea at the weekend but will not play against Germany because he is injured, wtf is he doing in the squad for and if he isn't fit for England why is he fit for Liverpool ? Do they have a crystal ball that his injury will worsen against Chelsea

He's fit to play, but there's a small risk of worsening the injury. Liverpool will (may) take that risk in one of their biggest games of the season. An England friendly isn't on the same level; however, he's in the squad pretty much for the England doctors to send him home again. Someone will already be on standby. Liverpool pay his wages - take a look back over the years at how many players we have lost for big games (some for long spells) through being injured on England duty when fit: we're not going to risk a crucial player in a friendly.

[bababui]

Why would Gerrard lay sunday but not wednesday? I am guessing because one match means something and the other doesnt.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by bababui

Why would Gerrard lay sunday but not wednesday? I am guessing because one match means something and the other doesnt.

Or, much better yet, what RmY said.

[ukhotstove]

Honest people should read what people say and not what they want people to say, my post about Crouch was that he isn't a starter for Liverpool so he imo isn't good enough to play for England, question is Crouch a 1st choice starter for Liverpool ? Answer No. Is Michael Owen when fit a starter for Newcastle ? Answer Yes. Onto Gerrard I said wtf is he doing in the squad, everybody has stated he will not be playing so why bother with him in the squad as I stated.

And at the end of the day if players are worried about who pays their wages they always have the option of retiring from international football maybe then we'd get a team with passion and get rid of some of these hangers on who are just in it for self glory and higher wages, and before people read what they want and think it's a pop at Gerrard I'd say he's one of the few who actually does play with passion.

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Honest people should read what people say and not what they want people to say, my post about Crouch was that he isn't a starter for Liverpool so he imo isn't good enough to play for England, question is Crouch a 1st choice starter for Liverpool ? Answer No. Is Michael Owen when fit a starter for Newcastle ? Answer Yes. Onto Gerrard I said wtf is he doing in the squad, everybody has stated he will not be playing so why bother with him in the squad as I stated.

And at the end of the day if players are worried about who pays their wages they always have the option of retiring from international football maybe then we'd get a team with passion and get rid of some of these hangers on who are just in it for self glory and higher wages, and before people read what they want and think it's a pop at Gerrard I'd say he's one of the few who actually does play with passion.

Eh? Regarding Gerrard, you did also say "and if he isn't fit for England why is he fit for Liverpool ?". Because the game matters. An England friendly doesn't. Your 2nd paragraph is just off on one and not remotely related to the meaning of "Liverpool pay his wages". Liverpool pay his wages. Liverpool decide if he's fit enough to be risked against Chelsea. Liverpool decide if he's fit enough to be risked in a meaningless friendly. Why is he in the squad? Look back at previous squads and the many occasions where an important player was borderline unfit - they get called up and either sent back to the club for treatment or sometimes stay with the squad with no intention of being played. Gerrard is an important member of the squad and McLaren may see his presence as helpful, in tactical discussions in preparation for the games that do matter, or in 'team building'.

Not first choice for Liverpool means not good enough for England? Crouch had a better goalscoring record (and assists) last season than Rooney and just about every other English striker in the PL, other than Bent. In addition to that, he is the best English 'target man', in terms of holding the ball up and retaining possession (if you like that sort of thing). The fact that he's now behind a Spaniard and a Dutchman in the Liverpool pecking order is irrelevant.

[ukhotstove]

lmao hope your not trying to say Crouch is better than Rooney, have you ever actually looked at Crouch's goalscoring record and I don't mean how many goals I mean who he scores them against. His goalscoring record against the top teams in the Premiership is poor, his goalscoring record in Europe is poor and his International record only looks good because he inflates his goals against International pub teams like Jamaica, Trindad and Andorra.

[ukhotstove]

Anyways you can have the last word seeing it's so important to you cause to be honest I'm done with the selective reading, I may not be perfect never have said I was but when I reply to someones post I have the decency to read what they have said and reply to what they have said and not just make things up about what people have posted, enjoy and hope peoples teams have a good season long as they play poor against Wigan Athletic. Latas.

[redmarkYankees]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

lmao hope your not trying to say Crouch is better than Rooney, have you ever actually looked at Crouch's goalscoring record and I don't mean how many goals I mean who he scores them against. His goalscoring record against the top teams in the Premiership is poor, his goalscoring record in Europe is poor and his International record only looks good because he inflates his goals against International pub teams like Jamaica, Trindad and Andorra.

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

Anyways you can have the last word seeing it's so important to you cause to be honest I'm done with the selective reading, I may not be perfect never have said I was but when I reply to someones post I have the decency to read what they have said and reply to what they have said and not just make things up about what people have posted, enjoy and hope peoples teams have a good season long as they play poor against Wigan Athletic. Latas.

What selective reading? No idea what you're on about. Seriously.

I don't think Crouch is better than Rooney (talk about selective reading). I don't particularly rate Crouch (at the highest levels), and would quite happily see Liverpool sell him for £10m and spend it elsewhere. I'd like to see Kuyt/Torres start as many games as possible this season. However, I do think he's good enough for the England squad (who else? Heskey?), is a better player than many give him credit for and is the best English 'target man' of the type, if you like that sort of thing. Which I don't. It's not important to me in the slightest; I'll likely only watch the Germany game if Gerrard plays.

[zoraster]

Bromley have had a good and bad start to the season. We’ve only got one point from our first two games, but we’ve been playing very well and have just been half a yard off with our final ball, a common problem when short of match sharpness. This does bode well for the season ahead providing we do pick up over the next week. Last Saturday was a bitch; we looked to be heading to victory before giving up an injury time equaliser. It definitely took the edge off a fine opening day, and left us feeling robbed, although in truth Bath had been on top for large parts of the opening hour and deserved a point.

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

A little question that I came across today, to be honest would have taken me a bit to work it out.

Which British player never won a European Cup (Champions League) medal but played for 4 teams that have won the European Cup, I've given enough clues in the question so no more clues

I have to say I was stumped for a while. I could think of loads of threes (nine so far if anyone wants a challenge... could be a few more) but no fours - bar one three who was on the books of a fourth without ever playing - until I remembered Dean Saunders had a short stint with Benfica at the end of his career.

[Fallschirmjager]

Bremen vs Bayern
Tomorrow morning

A good game to see how good Bayern really is or how bad Bremen has gotten


Then Newcastle plays at home vs Villa