Football Focus

[spadetownboy]

Ladygooner Wrote:

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> Just got back from Edinburgh - didn't see the

> match - but my friend lives in the same road as

> the Hearts ground. Needless to say - a lot of

> long faces last night!

and that was just the police horses, up the bhoys slow start to the season as ever but should have scotland wound up by march and hopefully pack walter smith off to his retirement home.

[Marmora Man]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> At last a new football season is upon us this

> coming Saturday. I have been suffering serious

> withdrawal symptoms without my regular dose of the

> fitba or soccer as a certain former England

> captain has taken to calling it.

> Being a life-long Spurs fan I have very high hopes

> this season. I want qualification for the

> Champions League and of course it would be great

> if we could nick that by finishing above the

> Arsenal. I also want to us to win the UEFA Cup and

> if not then maybe one of the domestic ones like

> the FA Cup or League Cup. Not much to ask is it?

> Or is it?

>

> How will your team do? What expectations to you

> have?

> Will Steve McLaren's England qualify for the World

> Cup?

> Post here for all your football related thoughts

> and stories.

I find it disappointing that we seem to be barely into the cricket season and certainly only just out of the last football season and it's back already.

There's one Test match, an international 20/20 game and seven one day internationals and countless county games to go yet - let's enjoy the summer game for as long as possible. Long days in the sun, picnics, cold beer / wine, female fans in skimpy clothing, the odd streaker or two, fans and supporters discussing the finer points of the game and clapping a fine shot / catch / peice of fielding regardless of side.

Long live cricket - at it's best the finest pastime - to play, watch, listen to or read about.

[Brendan]

here here!

[SeanMacGabhann]

If only cricket had its own thread. . . Oh wait

[citizenED]

Too, right MM - much as I love the footie, I just wish that the season did not start until September. My poor brain gets confused when it overlaps with the cricket. Radio five will be awash with punditry, comment, analysis and commentry - which means my body clock will think it is summer but my senses will think it's autumn. Football starting in August is the equivalent of those signs in BHS that say "Back to School" - you've only just broken up for the holidays and the bloody adults are telling you that you've gotta get ready for school - huh!

citizen

[Asset]

football is a load of old rubbish - it's a game for girls. (cue fantastic backlash, love being controversial).

[Brendan]

Fair enough Sean.

I actually really enjoy football and play a bit but as I don?t support anyone specific I never see the point in watching it.

[Ladygooner]

Thanks Jah - good to be back. Season not even started yet and we already have two trophies! Looks like the young strikers will do well out of the shadow of Henry. As much as I love Freddie (indeed a picture of him in his Calvin Klein advert graces the wall in my downstairs loo) we had the best of him. Roll on noon on Sunday - Lawrie Sanchez watch out!

[Marmora Man]

Ladygooner Wrote:

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> Thanks Jah - good to be back. Season not even

> started yet and we already have two trophies!

> Looks like the young strikers will do well out of

> the shadow of Henry. As much as I love Freddie

> (indeed a picture of him in his Calvin Klein

> advert graces the wall in my downstairs loo) we

> had the best of him. Roll on noon on Sunday -

> Lawrie Sanchez watch out!

Ladygooner - you know I don't understand the game, I have to rely on 15 year old son to brief on what's good, bad or fabulous. Still maintain cricket beats football - 90 minutes versus 8 hours of entertainment. You know it makes sense!

[spadetownboy]

mm i think you mean 15mins of entertainment crammed into 8 hrs of general boredom. thats why there are bars at cricket grounds and one is able to sit and get sozzled,because it would be a bloody long day if you had to sit there sober. why do the crowds always seem so bouyant nothing to do with whats on the pitch,its because they,re all pissed and have to make their own entertainment.

[Keef]

Exactly right!!!!! I went to the MCG for the Ashes, and after I'd looked around the impressive ground, I sat and read my book for several hours then went home. Cricket is a good game to play, and a nice game to have on in the background whilst drinking in the pub, but going to see it is boring, unless you go with a bunch of mates and have a drink, but as Spadetown says, you're not having fun because you're watching an interesting game!

Ladygooner, 2 trophies (of questionable worth) will most likely be what the Arsenal end the season with too ;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

Be fair Keef, the trophies are not of questionable worth, they are of zero worth.

However, the performances that led to the trophies, particularly against an overly-aggressive Ajaz side, demonstrate that the Arsenal will be this season's dark horse. There is more steel about us this year and I am quietly optimistic. I'm not going to see will win anything... but I expect us to be in contention for most of the season, which is something we haven't done for a while

To my mind Chelsea will be the big losers this year - the core of the team has been sated with new deals and they just won't be ass effective as they have been not to mention the injury list they already have.

Man U I expect to do well and Hargreaves is an excellent signing - but quite a lot of new signings may mean a lack of cohesion in juuust enough games may allow Liverpool to pip them to top spot.

Spurs finally look like this is the year they will start to achieve but we shall see - so long as it's not at the Arsenal's expense I'm ok with that - so my top 4 this year

Liverpool

Man U

Arsenal

Spurs

[Annasfield]

Oooh Mr MacGabhann I am liking your thinking and sincerely hope that you're right!! My glass half empty side, tells me that we won't reach that top spot, but you never know.....

[mockney piers]

Much as I'd love to write Chelsea off, Jose's too shrewd.

I'm going with Man U, I think they're hungry and have added some decent strength to the side.

Spurs are my dark horse, Liverpool just can't seem to get it together but could win the cup, though I'd be delighted to see them finish above chelsea.

Arsenal are still rebuilding, maybe next season

West Ham

Man U

Chelsea

Spurs

Arsenal

Liverpool

obviously only joking about the top spot.

Dulwich for promotion? ho ho

[Annasfield]

Ignoring the team on the top spot (I realise I'm about to receive some serious abuse) - Fifth!?! I do think we'll finish in the top four at least.

[Jah Lush]

I'm liking this positivity on the forum about Spurs being dark horses. I'll be in one of the ED pubs early Saturday to watch the Sunderland v Spurs match and I already have a ticket for the first home game against Everton on Tuesday night. Yee har! Cant's wait.

Okay much as I'd like Spurs to win the league I'm pretty sure we won't. We've always been a good cup team and that's where our chances lie. Still I think this year we could make the top four and here's my prediction.

Man Utd

Chelsea

Spurs

Liverpool

I think the Arsenal are in a transitional period although they'll still be a tough propostion for anyone. I've enormous respect for Arsene Wenger who took them from being "boring boring Arsenal" to a team that plays an entertaining and fabulous passing game in much the same way that traditionally the likes of Spurs, West Ham and Liverpool have done for decades. Roll on Saturday.

And for the cricket bores. Get your own thread.:))

[SeanMacGabhann]

They appear to have buggered off Jah - ssshhhhh!! You'll only attract their attention again

PS - I fixed your post for you

[Jah Lush]

Sean, as much as I enjoy the rivalry between Spurs and Arsenal I think that's very naughty of you. Relegation for you now mate.>:D

[spadetownboy]

man u

liverpool

chelski

arsenal.

[Brendan]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> And for the cricket bores. Get your own thread.:))

Sorry guys but we are taking the same view that the media has on the cricket thing. It is clearly not important enough to warrant its own thread but is just squeezed in periodically in between football commentary. ;-)

[Marmora Man]

Jah Lush Wrote:

>

> And for the cricket bores. Get your own thread.:))

It's only possible for us cricketers to convert the unwashed and unbelievers if we speak to you in your own territory. :)

What football match / contest can even draw comparison with the Ashes series in '05 ending at the Oval and again (disappointing for England - but the drama was still there) in '06 in australia - both just a single clash in over a century of sporting battle between Australia and England.

Watching Pieterson smash a century in 55 minutes or Monty Panesar winkle out a classic international batsman such as Tendulkar is an aesthetic experience - as good as seeing a great painting, listening great music or walking through a rugged landscape alone. Recalling earlier players - and listening to them talk about old matches is like hearing wartime heroes reminisce. Cricket has 200 years of glorious writing to its name, it can even rouse John Major to heights writing almost decent prose and passion (only Edwina Currie could that otherwise - horrible thought).

I urge you all to give it a go. Try the nursery slopes of a village or local team game all over in an afernoon and followed by several pints, or a 20 / 20 at the Oval before moving onto a proper county match and then the pinnical of joys - a 5 day Test matche.

[Jah Lush]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> It's only possible for us cricketers to convert

> the unwashed and unbelievers if we speak to you in

> your own territory. :)

If you say so and each to his own. I have played both games. I was an opening batsman for a local pub team (The Dog) many years ago and played for my school where Mike Edwards, a former opening batsman for Surrey alongside the great John Edrich was a teacher and my housemaster. But, as much as I do enjoy watching the occasional Test match I prefer the one day matches which are much more entertaining but it still, for me personally, for pure joy and excitement does not come close to football.

Come on you Spurs!!!

[Annasfield]

"What football match / contest can even draw comparison with the Ashes series in '05 ending at the Oval and again (disappointing for England - but the drama was still there) in '06 in australia - both just a single clash in over a century of sporting battle between Australia and England"

You obviously didn't see the 2005 Champions League Final..... ::o

[Jah Lush]

Touche! Annasfield. What an amazing match that was. It had everything.(tu)

[SeanMacGabhann]

I will NEVER forget that night. Unbelievable