World Cup and European leagues

[sac]

Well if it wasn't gameover before it probably is now

Middlesborough 2 Liverpool 0..........'borough were in 18th and battling for relegation life.

[ScotsFan]

Well if it wasn't gameover before it probably is now

Middlesborough 2 Liverpool 0..........'borough were in 18th and battling for relegation life.

This Premier League season is in danger of turning into a runaway for ManU!  Amazing that Liverpool has gone from title hopeful back over the holidays to being in jeopardy of trailing ManU by 10 points in the table and also could be surpassed by Chelsea in the span of 2 months!   This could really set up nicely for the Red Devils as they go after their quad for trophies!  Really, it could be a quint if you include their World Club Cup championship they won earlier in the season!  8)

[ScotsFan]

The FA Cup is going to look a little different this year compared to last.  The Final Four is a strong one with ManU taking on Everton in one semi-final and a London derby in the other with Chelsea taking on Arsenal.  Should be an exciting set of semi final matches as all 4 teams seem to be in top form at the moment!

[sac]

The FA Cup is going to look a little different this year compared to last.  The Final Four is a strong one with ManU taking on Everton in one semi-final and a London derby in the other with Chelsea taking on Arsenal.  Should be an exciting set of semi final matches as all 4 teams seem to be in top form at the moment!

2008 semi's----West Bromwich, Cardiff, Portsmouth and Barnsley..........yeah a little different. 

[ScotsFan]

The FA Cup is going to look a little different this year compared to last.  The Final Four is a strong one with ManU taking on Everton in one semi-final and a London derby in the other with Chelsea taking on Arsenal.  Should be an exciting set of semi final matches as all 4 teams seem to be in top form at the moment!

2008 semi's----West Bromwich, Cardiff, Portsmouth and Barnsley..........yeah a little different. 

I think it's funny how one of the unique qualities of the FA Cup is that it allows for little unknown clubs to take their shots at the big boys and every once in a while, there is a cinderella that makes it through to Wembley.  And I think that most everyone would agree that makes for a great story when it happens!  But when you have basically 4 cinderellas making it to Wembley, it's a great story until you get to the actual matches!  I think last year's final 4 had everyone saying be careful what you wish for...    I don't think anyone would have had the foresight to predict those 4 teams making it through to Wembley!

I'll bet the FA is much more relieved to have the 4 that made it through this year as opposed to the 4 that made it through last year!  If only ManU or Chelsea not been upset in the quarters last year.  I think having ManU or Chelea in the final 4 last year would have made things a bit more intriguing and a little less anti-climactic as things turned out to be last year. 

[sac]

Watched Liverpool demolish Real Madrid last night........they were viscious.  The first 25 minutes it looked like Liverpool could score at any moment.  It turned out to be more a case of good fortune for Liverpool than anything else........I'm sure the papers will say how Liverpool dominated from start to finish.

However.......the first goal was fortunate, 1) Torres clearly pulled down Pepe, or at least put a hand on his shoulder and Pepe went down like a sack of potatoes.  It could have gone either way, if its whistled a foul on Torres I don't think many complain about it.  2)  Torres could easily have been called offsides............it was sure exactly what Liverpool needed, just like that Real had to score 2 goals and win to progress. 

The second goal came from a penalty which was dubious at best.  In real time it sure looks like a handball and a wild one at that, but in slow mo, clearly its off the shoulder.  Tough break for Real at that point, it was still a game and anything could happen.  But when Gerrard buried the penalty it was pretty much over and anything short of a miracle comeback would see Liverpool through.  These two goals changed the game completely.

Of course haltime comes and you expect Real to fight, maybe slide in a goal or two just to make the home side nervous........of course most expected Liverpool to just lock things up on defense.  But just minutes into the second half, Gerrard scores a beauty of a goal and it was over.  Liverpool added one more beauty for good measure......5-0 agg. over Real Madrid......seriously?


It was kind of too bad the score got out of hand so fast, it was actually a fun game to watch, lots of good chances. There was just no drama or tension, it was decided early.

[Hoosier Titan]

Well, Liverpool DID dominate from start to finish.  I don't see how any observer could say otherwise.  Torres took on the entire Real defense and nearly scored within two minutes--only a brilliant save from Casillas stopped him.  And the entire side continued at nearly that pace for the entire match, winning most loose and contested balls.

The penalty AND a card was a bit harsh--the ball was off the very high arm, possibly the shoulder, and Heinze didn't see it coming.  But the refs don't have access to replay.  It certainly looked off the arm at first viewing, and it was in the box.  What else could they call but a penalty?  The card, I think, was for dissent, which is somewhat understandable--but as you say, at that point Real weren't out of it.  He needed to shut up.  Upon first seeing the Torres goal I thought he got away with fouling Pepe, but on looking at replay, I think Pepe went down way too easily.  I think the refs got that one right--but in the end it didn't matter.

Ryan Babel has been somewhat on the outs at Anfield lately, but he was terrific on the wing yesterday.  And Gerrard's second goal was a thing of beauty, taken on the run and in the air.  Andrea Dossena is probably the most unlikely goal-scorer of all for Liverpool, but that's the way the evening went.

Here's what the BBC says--"The brutal truth for Real was that they were outclassed, with Liverpool underlining their vast superiority when Gerrard slammed home the third from Ryan Babel's cross two minutes after the interval."

Absolutely the best display I've seen from Liverpool since, well, Istanbul--and this one was from start to finish.

[sac]

Only got to see the 2nd half of Manu/Inter, of course both goals happened in the first.

Inter, Real Madrid and Juventus all out before the quarterfinals.  Chances are good for at least one all-England quarterfinal.


Arsenal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Barcelona
FC Porto
Villareal

[ScotsFan]

Only got to see the 2nd half of Manu/Inter, of course both goals happened in the first.

Inter, Real Madrid and Juventus all out before the quarterfinals.  Chances are good for at least one all-England quarterfinal.


Arsenal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Barcelona
FC Porto
Villareal

If this doesn't show the strength of the Premier league, I don't know what does!  Just like a year ago, all 4 Prem clubs still in to the round of 8!  And outside of Arsenal who needed PK's to get by Roma, the other 3 English sides won rather easily and against some pretty damn good clubs as well!  Chelsea didn't get the win, but they won on aggregates over Juve who is in 2nd place in Serie A.  Liverpool completely dismantled Real Madrid who is in 2nd place in the Primera.  And ManU easily dispacthed of Serie A frontrunners Inter in what was supposed to be an epic battle of two club giants.


The dominance of the Premier League was made known last year when 3 of the 4 semi-finalists were Prem League teams and it was an all England final.  And this year is setting up to be dejavu all over again...  8)

I think that it would be sweet to put all 4 English clubs in different quarter final brackets setting up the possibility of an all England semi's.  But, we know that probably won't happen...

[WLCALUM83]

3/11/09 Final:

Mexico 5, Bolivia 1 (One of Bolivia's players was sent off midway thru the 1st half of this one. Mexico had a 2-0 lead at the half in this contest--)

[Hoosier Titan]

Liverpool 4-Man U 1 AT Old Trafford!  Goals from Torres, Stevie G, Fabio Aurelio, and a closer for Dossena (again!) with an assist from Reina.  Sweet, sweet, sweet for Reds supporters! 

Vidic really hurt Man U today.  First, Torres got away from him to go one-on-one with van der Saar for Liverpool's first goal.  Then in the second half Vidic brought down Gerrard like a sack of potatoes and was ruled the last defender for a straight red.  Dossena's goal was a very pretty chip over the defenders; it left van der Saar standing motionless.

Wayne Rooney created quite a stir earlier in the week in an interview by saying he "hates" Liverpool--the team later withdrew the interview from its website.  He might wish he hadn't said that now.

[sac]

Has anyone ever beaten Real Madrid and Manchester United in the same week by a combined 8-1 scoreline?


There are 10 Premiership clubs in the relegation fight, only 4 points separtes #11 from #18.
  Games  -- Points
11 Bolton 29 --- 33
12 Hull 29 --- 33
13 Tottenham 28 --- 32
14 Sunderland 29 --- 32
15 Blackburn 29 --- 30
16 Newcastle 29 --- 29
17 Portsmouth 28 --- 29

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

18 Stoke 29 --- 29
19 Middlesbrough 29 --- 27
20 West Brom 28 --- 22

Liverpool has dropped 10 points to 4 of these teams, 3 each to Tottenham and Middlesborough.   2 each to Stoke and Hull City

Liverpool has also dropped points to 8, 9 and 10.  West Ham, Wigan, Man City, 7 total.

They have beaten Chelsea and Manchester United twice, and drew with Arsenal with one more game to go.........and have not dropped a game in Europe (although a 93rd minute penalty saved their bacon against Atletico Madrid.


Manchester has dropped just 2 points to the bottome ten, 2 to Tottenham.  Other lost points have come to Liverpool and Chelsea.

[ScotsFan]

Liverpool has dropped 10 points to 4 of these teams, 3 each to Tottenham and Middlesborough.   2 each to Stoke and Hull City

Liverpool has also dropped points to 8, 9 and 10.  West Ham, Wigan, Man City, 7 total.

They have beaten Chelsea and Manchester United twice, and drew with Arsenal with one more game to go.........and have not dropped a game in Europe (although a 93rd minute penalty saved their bacon against Atletico Madrid.


Manchester has dropped just 2 points to the bottome ten, 2 to Tottenham.  Other lost points have come to Liverpool and Chelsea.

This is basically where ManU takes care of business and why they are in a position to three-peat as League Champs!  Just think where Liverpool would be if they weren't dropping points to teams fighting to avoid relegation?

Sure that was a great win for Liverpool over the weekend and it was a must win to keep thier slim hopes at catching United alive.  But, on the other end, ManU is still 4 points clear with a game in hand!

[Hoosier Titan]

  Just think where Liverpool would be if they weren't dropping points to teams fighting to avoid relegation?

Oh, we are, we are! 

I confess that I'm a bit baffled by Sir Alex's assertion that Man U were the "better side" on Saturday.  A certain amount of spin is expected, but that's a bit much.

Here's a story on it from the Guardian:  United Were Better, Claims Ferguson after Liverpool Battering

Chelsea are still in it as well, as Gus Hiddink was quick to point out.  The odds still favor Man U by a long shot, but it's heartening to the rest of League to see that they will have to win it.

[Hoosier Titan]

Champions League Draws:

Villarreal v Arsenal
Man Utd v FC Porto
Liverpool v Chelsea
Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Ties to be played 7/8 April & 14/15 April.  As they requested, Liverpool will not have to play on 15 April, the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.  Which cliche will we hear first:  "It's hard to beat a good team three times;" "Well, you have to beat them sometime."  Anything else?