World Cup and European leagues

[Hoosier Titan]

Welcome, Manchester sides, to the world of Thursday night football (AKA the Europa League).  Manchester United's loss to Basel was particularly striking, as they became the first team to go from the finals one year to missing out in the group stages the next.  Looks like time to regroup.

[sac]

Welcome, Manchester sides, to the world of Thursday night football (AKA the Europa League).  Manchester United's loss to Basel was particularly striking, as they became the first team to go from the finals one year to missing out in the group stages the next.  Looks like time to regroup.

shocking really, I had thought they already qualified.  I new Man City was in some trouble, but not ManU.

That FA Cup tie in January just became that much bigger.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Clint Dempsey earlier today became the first American player to score a hat trick in EPL play.

[sac]

Clint Dempsey earlier today became the first American player to score a hat trick in EPL play.

Unless I missed it, Fox Soccer didn't show the Fulham game this week either. 


What a six week stretch coming up for Liverpool

Wed Jan 25--2nd leg Carling Cup vs Man City
Sat Jan 28--FA Cup 4th round vs Man Utd.
Tues Jan 31-- @Wolverhampton
Mon Feb 6-- Tottenham
Sat Feb 11-- @ Man Utd
Feb 18/19 FA Cup 5th Round
Feb 25/26  either Everton or the Carling Cup Final
March 3  Arsenal

[Hoosier Titan]

What a six week stretch coming up for Liverpool

Wed Jan 25--2nd leg Carling Cup vs Man City
Sat Jan 28--FA Cup 4th round vs Man Utd.
Tues Jan 31-- @Wolverhampton
Mon Feb 6-- Tottenham
Sat Feb 11-- @ Man Utd
Feb 18/19 FA Cup 5th Round
Feb 25/26  either Everton or the Carling Cup Final
March 3  Arsenal

Man City in Carling Cup--check
Man U in 4th round of FA cup--check

Wolves next, then Suarez is back for Spurs.  The Reds need to maintain the form they've shown in their cup matches for their league matches.  What a turnaround from losing to Bolton!

[sac]

Did Liverpool narrowly avoid having to travel to Old Trafford twice in one week, once for the EPL game and once for the FA Cup replay?

Great atmosphere from Anfield this morning, I enjoyed having the volume turned up for that one.  Two joyous Anfield roars in one week, not sure there are many others as distinctive.


If form hold they'll probably drop points to Wolves and draw Chelsea in the FA Cup.

[Hoosier Titan]

Did Liverpool narrowly avoid having to travel to Old Trafford twice in one week, once for the EPL game and once for the FA Cup replay?

Great atmosphere from Anfield this morning, I enjoyed having the volume turned up for that one.  Two joyous Anfield roars in one week, not sure there are many others as distinctive.


If form hold they'll probably drop points to Wolves and draw Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Yes, I don't think either side was keen on a replay.  I understand from people who were there that the atmosphere was rather tame for Liverpool v. Man U, but there was still plenty of noise. 

I expected either Chelsea or Everton, but the draw was Brighton, whom they've already beat once this year.  I understand that Brighton has American-football style cheerleaders; quite a novelty in English football.  My English (male) friends think it's a good thing.

[sac]

Did Liverpool narrowly avoid having to travel to Old Trafford twice in one week, once for the EPL game and once for the FA Cup replay?

Great atmosphere from Anfield this morning, I enjoyed having the volume turned up for that one.  Two joyous Anfield roars in one week, not sure there are many others as distinctive.


If form hold they'll probably drop points to Wolves and draw Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Yes, I don't think either side was keen on a replay.  I understand from people who were there that the atmosphere was rather tame for Liverpool v. Man U, but there was still plenty of noise. 

I expected either Chelsea or Everton, but the draw was Brighton, whom they've already beat once this year.  I understand that Brighton has American-football style cheerleaders; quite a novelty in English football.  My English (male) friends think it's a good thing.

They also have a beautiful new stadium, almost a shame the game isn't there.  Almost.

[Hoosier Titan]

Even if the end of the transfer window was less than overwhelming (Bobby Zamora to QPR the biggest story?), the top of the table got tighter yesterday. 

With Manchester City falling to Everton (after a spectator at Goodison chained himself to a goal at halftime and had to be cut loose!) and Manchester United beating Wigan, the two Manchester sides are level on points.  Spurs seem to have distanced themselves a bit from the others, Chelsea scored to secure a draw with Swansea in the final minute of stoppage time, and Liverpool were finally convincing against a bottom-table side, Wolves.  Goals came from Andy Carroll, who played a great game, Craig Bellamy, and Dirk Kuyt.  Arsenal and Newcastle are now sixth and seventh, although with a game in hand.

Next Monday's Liverpool-Spurs match is huge in the race for fourth.  Good stuff!

[sac]

Next Monday's Liverpool-Spurs match is huge in the race for fourth.  Good stuff!

Sadly the most interesting thing about the match was the cat that ran on the pitch.......and his twitter account  http://twitter.com/AnfieldCat   .......and his own song     http://youtu.be/vpOdLIHsUSM



Was flipping through the channels and just caught this very moment in the AC Milan/Napoli match today.  Almost clever and almost got away with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuewn3pGKfM

[sac]

Been awhile since I found a good Liverpool video, here's an epic 8 minute review of the Liverpool journey to Wembley.....in a very over dramatic production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHaN3tK6dq8

and I don't know about this post ManUtd FA cup reaction video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZiClyI6Ku4

and well what can say this is kind of a funny cheer given the lead up to the game, apologies for any language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXg0Q6twdWY&feature=related

[Stinger]

A tad off topic, but tomorrow Sunday is the final of the African Cup of Nations. Before I knew much about soccer, two of my golf teammates at Kzoo were Zambian.  They told me the story of the plane crash that took almost the entire Zambian soccer team and execs. Heartbreaking.   Amazing they are in a major final. 

Here's the SI story:  http://si.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138563/1/index.htm

[ScotsFan]

So did anyone take in the Northwest Derby yesterday?

I have just one question.  What the hell was Luis Suarez thinking when he refused to shake Evra's hand in the pre-match hand shake.  I already had about zero respect for Suarez already and that bush league behavior that d-bag displayed yesterday lessened that even further! 

One thing I was pleased to see was how Rio Ferdinand then refused to shake the d-bag's hand immediately after the d-bag refused to shake Evra's hand.  Too bad the rest of ManU's players didn't follow suit?! 

I think the following words from Sir Alex sum up my feelings on the d-bag Suarez pretty well:

But Ferguson had the final word, ripping into Suarez for the player's refusal to shake Evra's hand, calling him a "disgrace." "I couldn't believe, I just could not believe it," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "Patrice told me this morning, 'I'm going to shake his hand, I've nothing to be ashamed of.' But then Suarez refuses. He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club. Some players should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again, the history that club's got, and he does that. In a situation like today he could have caused a riot."

But I guess as long as he scores goals, the Liverpool faithful will look past the disgraceful behavior Suarez continues to display!   

[Hoosier Titan]

Nice talk that, Scots.  Were you hoping to initiate a calm and reasoned discussion with that post? 

<sarcasm off>

You might be interested to know that Luis Suarez, Kenny Dalglish, and Liverpool Football Club have all issued statements of apology today.  They can be read at liverpoolfc.tv

And then again, you might not be interested in reading them.  Just passing on the information. 

[sac]

I watched it and Liverpool were awful.    Terrible crosses for two games in a row now.


I thought Suarez made a bush league move, couldn't believe it.  The whole thing should have been over then.  Now it will go on for far to long.

Evra handled himself well and correctly until the end, when he was equally wrong to run down the pitch and egg on the crowd right in front of the departing Suarez.



As always Sir Alex's comments are designed to stir the pot, I'm sure he would like nothing more than to see Liverpool sell Luis Suarez.