On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Judy2]

Matt - Think we are talking about different things - not sure where you got the Badge of Honour thing from.

Clubs having won the champions league/european cup wear a star to represent this - as i said check out the Celtic, Aston Villa and Notts Forest shirts.

Arsenal have not won the European Cup, simple as that.

[Sandperson]

Anna, we have to ask ourselves why thee young men are dying like this. As a cycling fan I know a bit about doping and every time I see a story like this it makes me think of performance enhancers like EPO. Sad, sad news but I think the questions need to be asked.

[matthew123]

There is nothing to stop a Football Club introducing a star into their Club badge, or any other symbol for that matter, but it is not recognised by UEFA as meaning anything.

The 'badge of honour' is recognised by UEFA, so for instance this is what AC Milan wear on their shirt sleeve when in European competition.

 

[Annasfield]

Agree Sandperson (was weird typing that). It does seem like a more regular occurrence these days and there has to be something behind it. Either that or it's more publicised.

I only watched him play this time last week. Crazy.

[Mick Mac]

Matt - I am not and was not talking about a badge of honour - Celtic have a gold star on their shirt ..... Arsenal do not. But if Arsenal win a European Cup I'm sure they will add one in the same way as Aston Villa, Forest, Celtic etc.

Well done to Liverpool on their badge of honour.

[matthew123]

Sad news. I think the athletic intensity of football is so demanding that the heart is sometimes pushed over the limit.

[Annasfield]

Anyone going to the pub for the match?

[Sandperson]

I wish. Looking after the wee one. :)):'(

[Narnia]

matthew123 Wrote:

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> 7 Days to go!

>

> So far 6 teams have joined the "EDF Super Liga" on

> the Barclays Premiership League fantasy football

> web site

>

> To create your fantasy team go to:

> http://fantasy.premierleague.com/

>

> Once created join the "EDF Super Liga"

>

> The code to join League is 224056-57537

>

> Current teams: -

>

> Thunderstruckers

> Lommers Legs

> cowboys

> Bayern Durchfall

> FC EAST HAM UNITED

> Real Maquids

Have joined but did you not know that the EDF league from last season is still active and also has a similar number of entrants? Not much point in having two leagues really, is there?

[Annasfield]

http://www.iraqgoals.net/ch1.html

Here you go fellas

[Mick Mac]

So does that mean noone is going to the pub Anna? I can't make it either i'm afraid, but look forward to a night out watching footie soon.

Also here:

Community Shield

[matthew123]

Fair point Declan, but I set this one up before that was brought to my attention. Assuming it's also the Barclays version nothing to stop us (or them) migrating from one league to other.. but it's not been promoted and from own experience many FFL Managers don't have the motivation to do back-to-back seasons for whatever reason.

Good game today at Wembley - although a little disappointed with the commentary about when the ball should be kicked out of play. This issue was brought up 2 or 3 years ago and players are meant to play to the whistle (which United did until they lost possession) - which should be blown when there is a head injury (apparently Evra sprung straight back to his feet so Ref gave Rooney advantage play). I'm not a big fan of Frank Lampard but it's refreshing to listen to an intelligent player (such are they so thin on the ground) who reminded us all of that guideline... of course Richard and Jamie ignored that point and still rattled on about it post match.

[Sandperson]

Matt you also fail to point out that a similar incident happened to Chelsea earlier in the game and the ref stopped the game and after the incident gave the ball back to Utd. I'm not bitter, fair result for us I thought, just making a point. I was heartened by our display and Chelsea looked ok too.

[matthew123]

The Ref was wrong to stop play when Ballack went down. He should also have blown his whistle and given a yellow card when Ballack took Evra out. But once he played advantage and Rooney most certainly did not decline that advantage then everything that then followed was correct by the Ref and morally correct by Chelsea.

First half United looked good and could have settled the game if it were not for the excellence of Cech, whereas at the other end Ben Foster looked anything but a future England number 1. Michael Owen looked a million miles off the pace. Carvalho looked good for Chelsea - surprised he was ever linked with a move away from the Bridge. Drogba looked motivated - now he has a new contract - and that spells trouble for PL defenders this season.

[red devil]

As Donald Rumsfeld would say, referees are consistently inconsistent and need to be less consistent in their inconsistency...6 days to go

[Sandperson]

I agree with you on Foster. I think Owen looked ok for the play he got.

Chelea are the only team who haven't lost important players this off season and should slide right back into their rythmn. All of us should be worried!

[Mick Mac]

But more importantly, they have lost a manager SP.

[Mick Mac]

Have joined the FF too.

[Narnia]

Well I'm in both. Like I said there are as many entrants in the EDF one as there are in yours for the new season. All it requires is for one lot to join the other and we have one league. Perhaps the lack of publicity for the EDF is to keep in exclusive! Can anyone anyone answer that?

[lard]

lard Wrote:

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> 1st match in new stadium I think it was agreed to

> lose.

>

> Degen is rubbish as you say.

> San Jose and Spearing won't make it either.

>

> Missing Sami already, hope we don't miss Xabi.

> Need replacements for both in some form.

>

> Should be better against Atleti on Sat.

Add Ayala to the list of won't make it. Dreading this weekend against Crouch if Carra and/or Agger not fit.

Quite liked Kelly tho as RB cover.

Stevie in midfield looked better option short term. Especially if one of the young lads is in defence.

The "who are ya" was loudest ever. :((td):-$

[Annasfield]

Hate that chant. Imagine it was fully audible from the Kop on Saturday, which was one of the reasons I swerved the game.

Do you get up to many Lard?

I really can see us losing on Sunday. I think we were all expecting a big signing, but it just hasn't happened and has dampnened spirits. Reckon the owners are hoarding the cash. Apparently this is the Aquilani deal:

Contrary to all the rubbish printed by the British press regarding a 20 million pound deal for Alberto Aquilani, Roma have themselves revealed the true extent of the payment structure for the Italian (both to the stock exchange as well as their own official site).

The 20 million EURO transfer fee is broken up into the following:

- 4 cash instalments of

- - 5 million EURO upfront

- - 3 million EURO by 4th January 2010

- - 7 million EURO by June 30th 2010

- - 5 million EURO by June 30th 2011.

Further Add ons include:

- 300,000 EURO for every year Liverpool qualify for the Champions League from 2010/11 to 2014/15

- 250,000 EURO everytime the player reaches 35 appearancs, 70 appearances, 105 appeances and then 140 appearances.

- 1 million EURO the first time Liverpool either wins the Premier League or Champions League by 30 June 2014.

- 5% of any future transfer fee will be paid to Roma.

Details can be found here (for those fluent in Italian) - http://www.asroma.it/UserFiles/988.pdf

[matthew123]

If he is the player we hope he is that makes it a ?20m (23.5m Euros) signature

For Spurs we'll need both Carragher and Agger. Bit surprised on w/e he didn't try out Kelly at centre half seeing as that is his natural position (according to commentary).

Be interesting to know who was singing that then (rather than knowing any proper songs), locals or the so-called day trippers

[Sandperson]

Are you rating Aquilani Anna? I've not seen much evidence to show he's a replacement for Alonso.

Still, half my side are crocked so we might struggle against Birmingham this weekend. It seems a trend in recent seasons for at least one newly promoted side to have a good opening game against a top club.

[Mick Mac]

I'd suggest those who are in the EDF also "add a league" with Matt's new number and then everyone will be in the Super Liga.

I'm not aware of anyone promoting the EDF league this year but could be wrong. I guess those who have registered a 2008/2009 team at work or elsewhere have automatically been registered under EDF if they were in EDF last year. They just need to add the new league and we will all be in the same place?

Hope that gets general agreement? I'm sure we all want to be in the same league.

Declan Wrote:

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> >

> Well I'm in both. Like I said there are as many

> entrants in the EDF one as there are in yours for

> the new season. All it requires is for one lot to

> join the other and we have one league. Perhaps the

> lack of publicity for the EDF is to keep in

> exclusive! Can anyone anyone answer that?

[SimonM]

For some reason I cannot back into the old EDF league...probably because I cannot recall my login details or know the code...hmmm