Football Focus

[red devil]

Agree with SJ about hoping that Chelsea don't make the top four, although I'd substitute Everton for Arsenal ;-)

Real Madrid looked ominously good last night. I never thought one day I'd want RM to beat Barca, but I much prefer their open, cavalier style of play to Barca's metronome tippy tappy...

[Mick Mac]

The public turn on boring Barca.... ?

Have to say that although when Celtic beat Barca it was a fantstic night - it was boring watching them play with their own ball 90% of the time with no apparent intention to do anything much with it (until it was too late :) of course )

[red devil]

I'm not accusing Barca of being a boring team, I just prefer a more open, expansive style of play, esp with wingers. Barca play very narrow, and both Milan and Madrid succesfully stifled them in that area. Maybe Celtic taught the other clubs how it's done???... ;-)

[Otta]

Agree. It's quality, but it's dull.

[gregring]

It was interesting watching Barca search for an away goal against AC milan last week in the Champions League throwing Pique up front and launching the ball forward a la Wimbledon of old. Something I never thought I'd see with Barca.

They're missing Tito Vilanova a lot more than people thought!

[Mick Mac]

red devil Wrote:

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> I'm not accusing Barca of being a boring team, I

> just prefer a more open, expansive style of play,

> esp with wingers. Barca play very narrow, and both

> Milan and Madrid succesfully stifled them in that

> area. Maybe Celtic taught the other clubs how it's

> done???... ;-)

You don't need to wink after that comment RD :) Its commonly accepted that Jock Stein invented total football and killed the cat.. Catenacchio.

Quote from Stein at the final whistle May 1967:

"There is not a prouder man on God's Earth than me at this moment. Winning was important, aye, but it was the way that we won that has filled me with satisfaction. We did it by playing football; pure, beautiful, inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads. Inter played right into our hands; it's so sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think and to act. Our fans would never accept that sort of sterile approach. Our objective is always to try to win with style."

[Jah Lush]

Amen to that. (Jock Stein's quote). Though I think you find the Spurs double winning side of the early 60s were there first when it came to the beautiful game.

[Alan Medic]

I wonder how the Busby Babes played in the 50's.

[Jah Lush]

Long ball merchants Alan. ;-)

[Mick Mac]

Good old Danny Blanchflower...the originalstroller

[Jah Lush]

Bill Nicholson's blue and white army.

[Mick Mac]

Surely they played in black and.white. They did on my TV.

Rafa's outburst tonight. Hats off to him. He's big enough to tell the particular group of Chelsea fans where to get off. He's only here for a few months anyway, why should these fans add to the unrest at Chelsea.

[red devil]

The long wait is over, here are the FA Cup 5th round scores, and more importantly who's made it through to the 6th Round Knock-Out stage...

JL - 4 Correct Results + 2 Correct Scores = 10 pts

SC - 6 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 9 pts

RC - 4 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 7 pts

LG - 6 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 6 pts

Mx - 3 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 6 pts

RD - 3 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 6 pts

AM - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

EP - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

OT - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

MM - 4 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 4 pts

LG and JL both finished with 22 points. They both forecast 3 correct scores over the 3 rounds, so I tossed a coin and LG won and so finishes above JL.

EP and Mx both finished with 17 points. Mx forecast 2 correct scores to EP's 1, so Mx finishes above EP

AM and RD both finished with 14 points. RD forecast 1 correct score, whilst AM failed to predict any, so RD finishes above AM.

Check out the table to see the final positions.

I'll confirm the knock-out draw for the 6th round in a separate message...

[woodrot]

Brave John Terry shows another manager the door

hero. heart like a lion.

[red devil]

The EDF Predictor Cup 6th Round Knock-Out Draw

This was the draw, with the draw numbers shown in brackets...

(3)Everton v Wigan(1)

(6.)Man City v Barnsley(2)

(4)Millwall v Blackburn(5)

(7)Man Utd v Chelsea(8)

I had to put a full stop after the 6, or else you end up with one of these (6)...how apt :)

Taking the corresponding final table positions, these are the head to head's...

SC v LG

OT v JL

Mx v EP

RC v RD

If both teams score the same number of points, any replayed game will act as a decider. If no replay or there is still a tie after the replay, then the most correct scores (previous rounds ignored) will decide who goes through. If it's still a tie, then the coin decides.

For the semi-final draw, the numbers 1-4 will be used, and these numbers will be allocated to the 4 players that go through, with the player scoring the most points allocated No.1 etc. Again, if a tie, correct scores or a coin will decide.

I'll copy and paste all this info again next week when I post the fixture list.

There will also be 7 Premier League games over the FA Cup weekend, plus the last 2 rounds of the Champions League sandwiched either side, so it's going to be a busy couple of weeks...

[Otta]

You and me Jah, bring it you slaaaaag!

[Alan Medic]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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> The fatal flaw RD would be if you didn't watch the

> draw, or record it. Oh, you might want to clarify

> what happens with those on equal points.

My fatal flaw was writing this.

[Mick Mac]

This should leave me to concentrate on the league.

[Otta]

Rafa has given up on remaining as Chelsea manager after this season. Better off out of it.

[red devil]

He might not even make it that far Ots, cue Brave John Terry to step in as player/manager...

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Rafa's outburst tonight. Hats off to him. He's big

> enough to tell the particular group of Chelsea

> fans where to get off. He's only here for a few

> months anyway, why should these fans add to the

> unrest at Chelsea.

Just quoting my own post. In case anyone was unfortunate to miss it first time. :)

[Jah Lush]

Calling Rafa the interim manager in the first place was disrespectful. The fact that Chelsea's fans have issues with him just because he was Liverpool manager when they had a bit of history between them is stupid. Spurs had to put up with the dreadful regime of former Arsenal staffers Terry Neill and then the dull beyond belief football of George Graham. We still got behind the team though and even won the League Cup with the latter. What manager in his right mind would want to manage a club like that? Until Roman Abromovich's swing-door policy for the managers office changes (it won't) and the likes of the old guard Terry, Lampard and Cole have gone there will always be unrest at the club.

[JohnL]

Looks like Cardiff might be playing under the name 'Cardiff Dragons' if they make the Premier League (and they should).

Don't know how well that will go down.

[Ladygooner]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The long wait is over, here are the FA Cup 5th

> round scores, and more importantly who's made it

> through to the 6th Round Knock-Out stage...

>

> JL - 4 Correct Results + 2 Correct Scores = 10

> pts

>

> SC - 6 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 9 pts

>

> RC - 4 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 7 pts

>

> LG - 6 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 6 pts

>

> Mx - 3 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 6 pts

> RD - 3 Correct Results + 1 Correct Score = 6 pts

>

> AM - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

>

> EP - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

>

> OT - 5 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 5 pts

>

> MM - 4 Correct Results + 0 Correct Scores = 4 pts

>

>

> LG and JL both finished with 22 points. They both

> forecast 3 correct scores over the 3 rounds, so I

> tossed a coin and LG won and so finishes above

> JL.

> EP and Mx both finished with 17 points. Mx

> forecast 2 correct scores to EP's 1, so Mx

> finishes above EP

> AM and RD both finished with 14 points. RD

> forecast 1 correct score, whilst AM failed to

> predict any, so RD finishes above AM.

> Check out the table to see the final positions.

> I'll confirm the knock-out draw for the 6th round

> in a separate message...

Sorry Jah - RD I'll pay you that fiver when I see you!

Lets hope I also finish about JL on Sunday at 6pm!

[red devil]

JohnL Wrote:

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> Looks like Cardiff might be playing under the name

> 'Cardiff Dragons' if they make the Premier League

> (and they should).

>

> Don't know how well that will go down.

It does sound a bit too NFL/NBA, but if their fans can put up with their kit changing to red, I can't see them moaning too much about this either as long as the club is successful.

Maybe some other clubs could consider a name change, how about Chelsea Apprentices, club motto You're Fired...