World Cup and European leagues

[sac]

Did anyone else find the officiating for such an important match to be downright shameful? 

You're not alone, but the players jabbering with the ref (and each other) all day didn't make it any better, or very pleasant to watch.

Though not unexpected.  I get the feeling that ManU/Chelsea is currently (Hope/Calvin + Wabash/DePauw) X 2!   Those guys do NOT like each other (and without the mitigating d3 respect for opponents).

Chelski (on purpose) had a history with that referee, I forget where or when but they basically started complaining after the first whistle and it never stopped. 

Any "not likeing" probably just comes from both teams being good and going after the same things, esp this year.  I'm pretty certain the three recognized top rivalries in England are Arsenal/Tottenham, ManU/Liverpool, Everton/Liverpool.......Chelski is rather new at this winning stuff.

[sac]

The first is one of my favorite videos I found from this year.  Its Liverpool fans being "locked down" inside Old Trafford to keep the potential for violence down.  The second is a longer different perspective.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hwwZ9V96HR0&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VgYP5qJ5pDc&feature=related

Can you imagine seeing something like that at a college football game?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Did anyone else find the officiating for such an important match to be downright shameful? 

You're not alone, but the players jabbering with the ref (and each other) all day didn't make it any better, or very pleasant to watch.

Though not unexpected.  I get the feeling that ManU/Chelsea is currently (Hope/Calvin + Wabash/DePauw) X 2!   Those guys do NOT like each other (and without the mitigating d3 respect for opponents).

Chelski (on purpose) had a history with that referee, I forget where or when but they basically started complaining after the first whistle and it never stopped. 

Any "not likeing" probably just comes from both teams being good and going after the same things, esp this year.  I'm pretty certain the three recognized top rivalries in England are Arsenal/Tottenham, ManU/Liverpool, Everton/Liverpool.......Chelski is rather new at this winning stuff.

Traditional rivalries, probably.  But 'Chelski' (as you aptly put it) has probably 'jumped the queue' (as I believe the Brits would say) due to their ownership.  They may be many teams' most hated rival now - though ManU (with ownership from 'the colonies') may be a contender.  

Hard to say how much carries over from fans to players, but the players from ManU and Chelsea didn't appear that they were going out for pints together after the match!

[Greek Tragedy]

Vander Sar....never looked capable of saving a penalty untill the last one.

He got his hands on two of them...and the 2nd one he really could've saved, IMO. 

I think VDS are actually trying to react to the PKs, rather than just guess a way, at least for a few of them...he looked slow in reacting, thus just getting hands on two of them before saving the last one...

Too bad for Terry...

[Hoosier Titan]

I returned from a week-long trip to England last night (tough work, but someone's got to do it! .  I watched the CL final from my hotel room in London and just watched the second half and extra time again. 

I agree that quite a few out of bounds and corner/goal kick decisions went the wrong way--although I often had to see the replay to be sure, and the official doesn't have that luxury.  The high kick that Ypsi referred to, I think, was a play-on situation for Joe Cole--and Cole just mis-kicked the ball.  I think he'd have complained bitterly had the ref stopped play when the high kick occurred.

But what has become a consistent thread in every Chelsea match I've seen is the constant whining and complaining of the Chelsea players.  Didier Drogba is one of the worst offenders--we've talked about it here.  He's one of the best in the world when he stays on his feet and plays, but when he falls down and cries, he's not convincing and it's incredibly frustrating.  The Brit commentators were discussing this before the match and one of them said that with all of Drogba's talent it's mystifying why he so often acts like "a big Jessie."  I've never heard that term before but I cracked up! 

Given the physical nature of the game, it was actually pretty mild until open hostilities broke out in the extra time.  And you just don't swat at people, no matter how ineffectually, so I think the red card was inevitable.

So, the game was cruel to Chelsea.  I found it at first annoying, although ultimately amusing, that someone had hung a big blue banner saying "Scouse Free Zone."  Although Liverpool weren't there in person, they were there in some people's minds!

[Hoosier Titan]

Whoever has the TV rights in England to the Euro 2008 competition is scrambling to promote it, now that England's not in it.  The ads show interviews with people in the street being asked who they're supporting.  The biggest promos are going to Portugal (Cristiano Ronaldo) and Spain (Fernando Torres), with Germany, France, and Italy being pushed as well.  Should be interesting!

[ScotsFan]

But what has become a consistent thread in every Chelsea match I've seen is the constant whining and complaining of the Chelsea players.  Didier Drogba is one of the worst offenders--we've talked about it here.  He's one of the best in the world when he stays on his feet and plays, but when he falls down and cries, he's not convincing and it's incredibly frustrating.   The Brit commentators were discussing this before the match and one of them said that with all of Drogba's talent it's mystifying why he so often acts like "a big Jessie."  I've never heard that term before but I cracked up! 

I too think Drogba's act is incredibly frustrating.  He is arguably one of the strongest players out there.  He could almost always out-muscle anyone he felt like.  Yet, at the same time, he can also be too eager to fall.  I definitely think he is not real convincing and the refs think that way as well.  Too bad Drogba can't figure that out...

I found it at first annoying, although ultimately amusing, that someone had hung a big blue banner saying "Scouse Free Zone."  Although Liverpool weren't there in person, they were there in some people's minds!

I was surprised to see the banner in blue.  After all, I doubt too many Liverpool supporters were pulling for Man United.    I would have expected that banner to be in red! 

[Hoosier Titan]

I was surprised to see the banner in blue.  After all, I doubt too many Liverpool supporters were pulling for Man United.    I would have expected that banner to be in red! 

Well, I was pulling for Man U, for one, although I think you're right in general.  The match was pretty much a matter of indifference in Liverpool, except for some Everton supporters who still like Rooney.

I think that Man U supporters don't look back at the teams they have beaten to get to the CL final--as Liverpool supporters do not.  Both sides know they deserve to be there.  As others have mentioned before, Chelsea are relative newcomers to the highest levels of European competition.  Plus, the semi-final matches between Liverpool and Chelski were incredibly close; were it not for the Riise own goal, the Reds would have been in the finals for the third time in four years.  So I thought it was an attempt at gloating that really didn't work--in the end I laughed at it.

Anyway, although the match did get testy on both sides, and there are great players on both sides, I thought Man U deserved the win.  It pains me to say it, but Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was a beauty.

Oh, and congratulations to Hull City on their victory in the Championship League final!  The winning goal was scored by the player with my favorite name of all time:  Dean Windass.  When I first started watching the EPL he was with Bradford and I thought he'd gone for good when they got relegated. 

Let the transfer season begin!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Jon Spector looks to be out again for the match tomorrow.  Are we ever going to be able to run out our top 4 on the back line?  It stinks to have Spector injured all the time when defense is the shallowest position on the pitch.

[Greek Tragedy]

I heard Windass was 39 or so!  Now that they are promoted, he might be gone NOW!

Speaking of transfers, I can't believe Real keep talking like they have Cristiano Ronaldo signed already.  What a joke...for any player on any team.

I mean, what if the Mets just kept talking about how they want Jeter and basically talking like he's already on their team...and just kept going at it.

There's gotta be some kind of international fine or something.  The guy is under contract (which, of course, sometimes doesn't mean crap) and Real just keep getting into his head.

I would love for Manchester United to sell Ronaldo for some 200 million pounds.  That would be hilarious.  Sure, it would suck not having Ronaldo, but it'd be worth it to see how stupid and desparate Real is by actually forking over that kind of money.

Is that England/USA friendly on TV tomorrow?

[Hoosier Titan]

I heard Windass was 39 or so!  Now that they are promoted, he might be gone NOW!

We thought the same thing.  Too bad; it was nice to see him again.

Hey Tom, if you want to see Ronaldo gone, the rest of the EPL wouldn't complain! 

The latest rumors I saw had Chelsea offering Drogba, Carvalho, and money to AC Milan for Kaka...and wanting Torres as well.  I think DD will regret that red card.  And I'm glad Hicks doesn't control the purse strings at Liverpool--don't want him selling the franchise like he did in Texas.

Interesting article on the BBC site about the relative lack of top-flight English players in the EPL.  There's a summary of how many English players each side started this year.  Among the Big Four the averages were:

Man U 4.28
Chelsea 3.63
Liverpool 2.34
Arsenal 0.34 (!)

West Ham had the largest number of English starters with 6.61, followed by Aston Villa at 6.42.  Fulham were near the bottom, right above Liverpool at 2.42 English starters per game.  All those blo**y Americans at Fulham !

Heres the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7417746.stm

And yes, the friendly is on tomorrow--ESPN, I think. 

[WLCALUM83]

(0.34?)

Bet that 1/3 of a player was a trick to start! (Ba dumm bumm!)

[Hoosier Titan]

(0.34?)

Bet that 1/3 of a player was a trick to start! (Ba dumm bumm!)

My thoughts exactly!  I guess that's Theo Wolcott starting every third game averaged out...at least I hope so! 

[Browneagle64]

Hey Folks,

Long time no post on this board. Anywho's, just wanted to share this info regarding tomorrow's friendly game that will pit Team USA against England:

From the MNT website:
U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a 22-man roster that will travel to London to prepare for the friendly against England on May 28 at Wembley Stadium. Kickoff for the first of the USA's three summer friendlies is set for 8 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and via tape delay on Galavision at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can also follow the match live on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.

Go Team USA and best of Luck to current L.A. galaxy player Landon Donovan in soon Becoming the Fourth Youngest Male Player in History to Reach 100 Caps.

[ScotsFan]

I would love for Manchester United to sell Ronaldo for some 200 million pounds.  That would be hilarious.  Sure, it would suck not having Ronaldo, but it'd be worth it to see how stupid and desparate Real is by actually forking over that kind of money.

Tom,

The question is, do you think it would take 200 million pounds for Man United to part with C. Ronaldo?  I'm wondering what Man United's asking price might be...

If Real were stupid enough to dole out 200 million pounds, Man United would be foolish not to take the money and run!

The latest rumors I saw had Chelsea offering Drogba, Carvalho, and money to AC Milan for Kaka...and wanting Torres as well.  I think DD will regret that red card.  And I'm glad Hicks doesn't control the purse strings at Liverpool--don't want him selling the franchise like he did in Texas.

Yikes!  Chelsea has their targest on Kaka and Torres?     

Looks like the transfer season is going to give us plenty to talk about!