Football Focus

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Sandperson Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I think a fit and physical Liverpool side

> should

> > beat Arsenal this afternoon.

>

> SP - I think Arsenal are physically stronger than

> previous seasons - I don't think that is so much

> of a concern anymore. They outmuscled the Chelsea

> midfield in the first half a few weeks ago and

> control midfield possession against most teams

> they have played this season.

>

> Their obvious failure is not having the firepower

> upfront, but hope Arshavin can do the business up

> front today.

I like to think I called that pretty good SP.

One Nil down two one up......

We won the league on merseyside......

Come on your Goonaaahhs.......

[????]

Giggs wins sports personality of the year......Matthew will be happy

[Sandperson]

From what I heard they weren't all that.

[Mick Mac]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> From what I heard they weren't all that.

A psychologist might think that was a defensive comment from a worried man.

[????]

Man United haven't been 'all that' for half their games this year...not being 'all that' and winning sure beats ..."too good to go down", believe me

[SimonM]

Giggs has been a great footballer, and had the grace to seem genuinely shocked by the Beeb award. But really it's the most ludicrous since Princess Anne won it. Time to revamp the voting system again Beeb!

[Atila Reincarnate]

Where to begin, that is the question. Let's start with spuds.............HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ETC

Then there's Man Ure and Fergie spitting his dummy out becasue the officials don't allow enough time for them to equalise or even win the game, did they not know they were at Old Stratford?? And as for Rooney's dive, well what can you say. Dare I say that had it been a foreign player we would never had heard the end of it.

Chelski..... I can't be bothered with them

Then there's Liverpool. Firstly, if I were to believe everything their fans tell me, you wouldn't have heard a sound from the travelling fans because the Anfield "faithful" are so vociferous that they would drown out any opposing chants. Well I thought the travelling gooners more than did themselves proud and could often be heard outsinging the home fans. Well in!! Gerrard not getting a nailed on penalty?? Karma, for all the times he's conned the ref, remember his attempt last week?? Well inyou gooners, not a bad result for a "physically weak" team.

What a goal by the little Russian, he is a gem of a player. And what now for Rafa?? Time to move on maybe. It ain't gonna happen is it, because apparently Liverpool would have to pay him zillions in comensation. I can't see Torres or Gerrard hanging around at the end of the season. Gerrard off to Real and Torres to us!!

[Sandperson]

Not worried MM. I think Arsenal will lose Fabregas in Jan and will be as bereft as Liverpool are without Alonso. Even if they don't I don't think they have what it takes to grind out results in the next few months.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> Not worried MM. I think Arsenal will lose Fabregas

> in Jan and will be as bereft as Liverpool are

> without Alonso. Even if they don't I don't think

> they have what it takes to grind out results in

> the next few months.

Just like your manager, striking out at all and sundry when you don't get your own way. Let's see if we can't "grind" out a result when your shower come visiting at the Home of Football.

[Ladygooner]

Well I hope Arsene half time team talks always work that well in future! We were all feeling very cold and miserable at half time then second half it was a different team. Howard Webb did not have a good afternoon. Surprised to see the Liverpool fans leaving early - at times in the second half Anfield reminded me of the Highbury Library!

[Atila Reincarnate]

Yes LG, isn't it funny how we get lambasted when our fans leave early, yet those have shouted loudest about this in the past do exactly the same themselves. Le Boss must have let the players have it with both barrells, well in Arsey baby.

[Atila Reincarnate]

Bluerevolution Wrote:

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> Can anyone work out why that berk Clattenberg sent

> Bellamy off? And why Boltons first goal wasn't

> offside?

Yes, Bellamy is a coont and even refs hate him.

[Keef]

LOL >:D

[Bluerevolution]

Atila Reincarnate Wrote:

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> Bluerevolution Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Can anyone work out why that berk Clattenberg

> sent

> > Bellamy off? And why Boltons first goal wasn't

> > offside?

>

>

> Yes, Bellamy is a coont and even refs hate him.

That's clear and concise, cheers Atila !

[Mick Mac]

TalkSport - Greatest Football Team of all time

[Atila Reincarnate]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> TalkSport - Greatest Football Team of all time

Totally baffles me that, I just don't get it at all.

[ratty]

we got a point!(tu)

[red devil]

The pornsters have made a ?50million bid for the 'ammers...

[Narnia]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> TalkSport - Greatest Football Team of all time

Does the reference to it being a 'head fought' final have anything to do with the Glasgow kiss?

[????]

Atila

I think Celtic have a strong case

These are the previous winners before Celtic...

Real Madrid 2-1 Partizan Belgrade

Internazionale 1-0 Benfica

Internazionale 3-1 Real Madrid

AC Milan 2-1 Benfica

Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid

Benfica 3-2 Barcelona

Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt

Real Madrid 2-0 Stade Reims

Real Madrid 3-2 AC Milan

Real Madrid 2-0 Fiorentina

Real Madrid 4-3 Stade Reims

So for an unglamorous team from a small country that also won all other competitions they ere in that year and entirely consisted of Glasweigans (I believe) is an achievement that hasn't been bettered nor is likely to.

I know it was a long time ago etc etc but it's pretty impressive.

[Mick Mac]

Well done Quids - that even looks impressive to me.

What I would add is that in 1967 the scottish league was a match for the english league - or as close as it has ever been (As well as Celtic winning the European Cup in 1967, Rangers lost the European Cup Winners Cup final to Bayern Munich in 67).

Celtic won all 5 competitions they entered in 1967 - Winning a domestic treble as well as the European Cup, with players from within 30 miles of glasgow, the only "local" team ever to win the European Cup.

Inter went into the final trying to win their 3rd european cup in 4 years and were big favourities.

But look at the stats from the final and it tells the story of Celtic's dominance. You will rarely see a more one sided set of statistics at the top level:

Stats:

Inter / Celtic

Goal Attempts 5 / 42

Shots On Target 4 / 24

Shots Off Target 0 / 16

Fouls 20 / 20

Corners 0 / 10

Offside 2 / 7

Hope you get it now Atila. Changed times indeed, but at the time and since, celtic fans believe the achievment is unsurpassed.

[Keef]

So what you're saying Mick, is that Celtic played a really poor Inter team that night?

[Mick Mac]

Celtic made what had been the best team in europe over the last few years look like a poor team keef. Is that what you are saying keef?

The final had wider effects in that it was seen as proof that stylish attacking football could win over the defensive italian style of play that had dominated in recent years. The great dutch teams would pick up the baton and run with it. Feyenoord would beat celtic 2-1 in the 1970 final leading to a period of dutch dominance and total football. Some give jock stein and his team a lot of credit for how football would evolve in the decade following 1967.

[i know this may seen a bit over the top but this may all be new to some so i will take my chance to get it out there!]

[red devil]

This is all very subjective, Celtic's achievement of playing 11 local players is unique, but they aren't considered to be a European great of that time because they didn't repeat the feat. What's interesting is that it was quite common for teams to dominate the competition during the 50's - 90's, but since the introduction of the Champions League no team has ever won the CL back to back...

[Mick Mac]

Fair point RD.

Some however, as Atila said "just don't get it" when some people rank Celtic's 1967 achievement so highly, so for those people its just some background to the achievement.

The other team that Talksport brought into their hall of fame was Nottingham Forest, who did repeat the feat the following year, which you say is an important criteria, albeit their achievement was 13 years later, with big finances and a million pound footballer on board. Nevertheless a small club with a big time manager, as with Jock Stein, it shows what can be achieved.