“Only two ways out of here, football and rock n’ roll; tonight we can have both.” – Bono
I am told that the game at the weekend was the best showcase of football in the premiership this season. I am told that it was great for the neutral. I am told that it was spectacular.
I am told this by the very group of people who’s opinion I trust the least. I have to fight back the temptation to get sucked in, agree and spout the very same nonsense right here.
I would never bullshit you... and I apologise for that – I can only tell it how I see it, and I was actually there to see it.
In my last post I stated that:
“the mancs have a good squad and will want to win”
They did have a good squad but they didn’t want to win... The game was very open and Howard Webb was showing the usual northern bias throughout the game... although the bias was selective in terms of what was given and to whom. For instance – Ronaldo could easily get free kicks in a scoring position for just chucking himself at the ground – although Ronaldo’s free kicks
were piss poor as was his finishing in a scoring position. Webb also held off the cards for Man-u and let them get away with a lot in the tackle – although this didn’t matter as Man-u didn’t go hard in the tackle (particularly at the start of the game) as is their norm when they want to win. Rooney showed his class in everything but the finishing – which again was comical. Berbatov played himself offside in the only scoring opportunity that he found in the game – thus negating the goal (although, true to form, he is an offside goal hanger anyway). In fact Berbatov and Rooney got in each other’s space quite frequently as neither of them wanted to be the one to have to pull the trigger... or not – as the case may be. FYI – Rooney and Berbatov ‘to score’ were heavily backed.
Our goals were of a good quality and it was nice of Berbatov to get the assist with his ‘strikers clearance’, or whatever, and Neville fail to block the first and to buckle under the challenge of Nasri for the second.
Webb also didn’t give a foul for a challenge on Diaby – from where I was sat, it looked like he was clean through so it would have had to have been a straight red... I will assume that this was the case as it didn’t make the highlights on MOTD (FYI – red card was heavily backed). The crowd gave Webb a hard time for these clearly bad decisions... but – to be honest none of the decisions he gave made much difference... so I didn’t join in – they were all for show, a scam.
Rooney got a chorus of:
“You’re just a fat granny shagger”
Which was mildly amusing... but I didn’t join in with that as, the way he was playing – he was doing us a favour by being on the pitch.
All in all - I felt that the match had an air of inevitability to it from the moment it kicked off...
I have been to Arsenal/Man U matches before and there has been something in the air, the teams will run themselves into the ground to get the 3 points and the crowd will respond with an urgency to match... this time – it all seemed a bit civilised. Maybe I’m just cynical and jaded from the Tottenham game and I’m reading it wrong - I hope so.
In my mind Man-U didn’t want to win for reasons stated in the previous post (from the ‘Dan Roebuck’ Guardian article):
“Arsenal have been the bookmakers' saviours this season. Failures to justify odds-on prices against Fulham, Hull City, Sunderland, Tottenham, Stoke and Fenerbahce have scuppered many accumulators and hefty single wagers. The layers will be hoping Arsène Wenger's side can do them another favour tomorrow against Manchester United, only this time they want them to beat their visitors rather than slip up.”
What I can’t decide on is whether the key Arsenal players were in on this too – as I said, it was all a bit civilised and we just sat back for most of the second half soaking up the attack without even attempting to punish them on the break – which is our norm... a lot of things don’t add up – this game was too perfect for the EPL brand, we know that the Arsenal Man-U games get a high viewing figures (last season it was reported at 1,000,000,000 viewers) so it all i.e. every facet of the game seemed a little too convenient for anyone with an interest in it other than football...
So it seems once again Arsenal with a little help from Man U “have been the bookmakers' saviours this season.” – So one thing for sure is the bookies must be well chuffed; they could not have picked a more perfect result – right down to the goal scorers!
Let’s see if it continues...
BTW - I hope you all took my advice and sold the shit out of the Mancs – it was clear that they were never going to win that game... although I also had a sneaky fiver on 2-2 ‘correct score’ at some stupid odds – I really thought it would come in when they flagged up 6 minutes extra time... I remain ambivalent.
Also – Arsenal to win the title has dropped from 20-1 to 13-1... although (if you placed it) I wouldn’t lay it off until we beat Aston Villa this coming Saturday as I reckon it might drop another 3 points or so.
ASI Topic: BBC WTF?
-------------------------------------
Post 1 DogFace wrote:
What a bunch of arseholes... why do I pay my licence fee?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7714854.stm
-------------------------------------
Post 2 ChristHeart (Netherlands) wrote:
Wow, I knew exactly what this discussion post was gna be about from just 8 characters.
Has it really become that bad?
-------------------------------------
Post 3 The12thMan (Ramapo) wrote:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1083992/Sky-pundits-I-trust-people-walk-dog-Keane-rages.html?ITO=1490
at least keane respects wenger
-------------------------------------
Post 4 TheTurbanator (Malaysia) wrote:
Good one.
"They're brainwashing people. People say it's good for the game. It's not good for the game, interviewing people about Arsene Wenger after what that man's done for English football. It's amazing.
Will Arsene Wenger be remembered in 100 years' time for what he has done for football? Bet your life he will. Will these people on the television be remembered for what they've achieved? None
whatsoever. "
Best quote ever.
-------------------------------------
Post 5 DogFace wrote:
This from the 'Chief sports writer' of the current bun... try and resist punching your computer screen as they are expensive to replace:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1903113.ece
Big respect to Keane - it's a brave stance to take.
-------------------------------------
Post 6 DogFace wrote:
Man, re-read that and fucking hell - Keane... fucking respect man!!!
"I wouldn't listen to these people in the pub, and yet they're on television constantly"
That is brilliant!
-------------------------------------
Post 7 ChristHeart (Netherlands) wrote:
Wtf - this is weird. Has Keane grown up?
-------------------------------------
Post 8 DogFace wrote:
Man he's my new hero... Managment must have opened his eyes to all the shite that's infested the game...
...he was never one to mince his words.
-------------------------------------
Post 9 ChristHeart (Netherlands) wrote:
"equally flawed in his failure to condemn the dismissal of the chronically irresponsible Robin van Persie. "
"sit-in-the-hole contradictions like Gilberto"
"And what of Gilberto?
"The man who put the oil in the midfield mechanism that eased the Gunners to their unbeaten season in 2004 is still cranking it out at Panathinaikos. "
Hangon... first Gilberto is not such a brilliant signing, and then he praises him?
This is quite obviously just a hate rant against Arsene Wenger. Chief sports writer. This article can tell you more about Mr Steven Howard than Arsene Wenger.
It's funny reading the Sun article right after that stuff that Keane says, because it is basically just a case study of Keane's point.
-------------------------------------
Post 10 TheTurbanator (Malaysia) wrote:
That Sun article, is it written by a 6 year old? Stupid stupid facts really. You can see it is biased towards Man Utd.
But Keane,man. Everything he say is so true. Respected him as a footballer, double respect as a manager.
-------------------------------------
Post 11 JabbarBoy wrote:
'If Wenger’s quote at the top of this piece needs a little explaining, the young Spaniard’s does not.
The corollary is simple enough: In the Premier League, we are wearing a big girl’s blouse'
stupid fag....... how the hell can a guy like this become sport editor or whatever the shit he is???
-------------------------------------
Post 12 JamesDeGoona (St Joseph's College) wrote:
yer i like Keane now he is Sunderland manager. He seems to stick up for Wenger quite a bit
-------------------------------------
Post 13 KashmirGirl (London) wrote:
"You're sitting there with people like Richard Keys and they're trying to sell something that's not there. I tell people any time they watch a game to switch the commentators off, don't listen to
experts, gather your own opinion."
I like this bit. Very interesting.
-------------------------------------
Post 14 MohammedArsenal (The Indian High School) wrote:
Wow....all of a sudden i'm like: ''Go Roy!''
-------------------------------------
Post 15 KashmirGirl (London) wrote:
Haha me too!
-------------------------------------
Post 16 ColonelDecker wrote:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/sunsport_columnists/article1911725.ece
After reading the link on saturday to Mr Howard I was wondering how he was feeling this morning and he has turned on United now.
Clearly he cannot bring himself to praise us so it is 'obviously' Uniteds fault that we won.
I particularly love the glaring contradiction, in saturdays column
''Back in April 1997 — just six months after Wenger arrived at Highbury — Alex Ferguson enthusiastially took the new Arsenal manager to task for the first time, saying: “He has only been here five
minutes and yet seems to have a comment to make every week. He should shut up. ''
“I think he has a problem with Manchester United.”
''Never more so than tomorrow. ''
Yet today he feels:
It was a day when Arsenal desperately needed to come up against a footballing team rather than one sent out either to stop or kick them. Or both.
Oh sorry, so saturday Man Utd are our worst nightmare, yet on monday morning they were just what we needed?
No wonder he's the chief sportswriter of the sun, because that basically equates to the chief accountant of Lehmann Brothers.
-------------------------------------
Post 17 DogFace wrote:
LOL - it just goes to show that these cock-ends have no opinion whatsoever.
It's all smoke and mirrors these days man... parasites the lot of them.
-------------------------------------
Post 18 PieFace (London) wrote:
I am now a fully paid-up member of the Roy Keane fan club - what a brilliant attack on the media, particularly naming Richard Keys (a brainless front man, if ever there was one - spot on Roy, just what the FUCK qualifies that gibbon to pass judgment on a Premier League manager or player, having never actually been involved in the game at grass roots level?)
Mustard.
And then I read the Steven Howard piece, which is your typical Sun journo shite - pick up on the prevailing mood and blow it up out of all proportion. Get the fans all riled up. Add in a bunch of irrelevant historical nonsense (trawling back to a quote from 1997, 11 years ago? Really, Steve?). And criticising players because of their nationality? Forgive me ifI am very much mistaken, but that is racism, is it not?
That really is quite some crisis going on at Arsenal ain't it Steve - losing THREE games this season (by a whopping single goal margin in each), a miserable FIFTH in the table out of twenty, a massive SIX points behind the leaders (that's an enormous TWO wins off the pace! Criminal!!) How on earth can any of the players, fans, or right-thinking members of he football-watching public NOT think that Arsenal Football Club is a pathetic joke, with a clown at its helm steering the club inexorably downwards???
Red-top journalists. Like sharks, they catch a scent of blood, and ... I swear to God, these fuckers actually derive some sort of perverse pleasure out of hounding people out of football. It isn't the game that they love, it is the kill. If they were legally allowed to dispay the severed heads of the honest hard-working football managers they have driven out of their clubs thanks to some hysterical whipped-up media frenzy following a poor run of form, they would do it. "You see that Sam Allardyce? Got him fucking SACKED, I did - a really vitriolic piece abolut how he was too fat to manage Newcastle, got his head above the fireplace, I have." And Wenger, surely, has the biggest antlers of all - King of the Forest, no less. What these vermin wouldn't do to claim his scalp. However, it was woefully misjudged and I think Keane's statement has caught the mood and exposed gutter journalism for what it really is. You know nothing about the game, you children. We know only ever print what you think your public want to read so people will buy your scandal sheets. Don't pretend you actually hae anything intelligent to bring to the debate about football. Fuck yourselves, pigs, seriously - fuck yourseves.
Right, I'm off to buy a new laptop and some ointment for my right fist.
Showing posts with label Man-u. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Man-u. Show all posts
Monday, 10 November 2008
Friday, 7 November 2008
The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget
The Grauniad (as my dad always used to call it when I were a lad as it was his regular rag of choice) posted this interesting story today:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/nov/07/premierleague-arsenal
Now this story is interesting in many ways – firstly Wenger comes out and accuses the refs of targeting Arsenal unfairly and then this rare nugget slips out which states: “Bookies savour Arsenal failure”. So we have:
1) The referees are targeting Arsenal in key matches.
2) Bookies make a killing out of Arsenal under-performing in key matches.
Hmmm… shit – man, this is a toughie, I have 2 right and I need to put it together with another 2 – so, if I put 2 and 2 together it makes... hmm – I think I need some help from the Numberjacks (my daughters’ second favourite program on CBeebies):
“Brain gain, brain gain
Get together use our brains,
Time to get your brains all linking,
Up together,
Joined up thinking”
By crikey I think I understand now!
The article then goes on to point out that the mug money is on United... and the bookies will hope and prey to their bookie gods of back-handers and brown paper bungs tied up with string that Arsenal can ‘do them another favour’ and cause an upset. Whether this is true or not; I don’t know – but, given the early odds - I suspect it is. The smart money will land late – it always does.
Hmmm… I wonder who the ref is?
Oh my giddy fucking aunt it’s only Howard fucking Webb!!!
This game is going to be bent as they come... but I still think it’s risky as the mancs have a good squad and will want to win – I would sell manure on the A/H... alternatively get on the high side on the yellows and a sneaky fiver on a red.
Wait until the morning papers though and try to work out where they want your cash to go – then oppose it. It’s been a Manu/Arsenal media circus the last few days with various articles pushing this as a ‘must win’ match... Arsenal have been undersold in the media – and the pictures tell it all i.e. looks of despair on Arsenal players faces Vs pictures of a happy, smiling Ronaldo/Rooney and articles stating that Rooney is going to ‘put us to the sword’... we have been undersold but not written off (as Liverpool were in the Chelsea match) – so maybe a draw then?
Back to that article:
“The layers will be hoping Arsène Wenger's side can do them another favour tomorrow against Manchester United, only this time they want them to beat their visitors rather than slip up.”
It has to be said, and I have said it before, that despite the decisions made by the ref; we are giving some of these games away (i.e. the ones in favour of the bookies) and ‘slipping up’ far too easily. In seasons past we would have battled against the odds to get the result – of course, it didn’t come to anything as the pitch would be tilted and the run of bad decisions simply increased to match and cancel out the extra effort. This season is different – and I suspect that we may be treading a murky path... and, if I am correct – then what will that do for our title aspirations?
Currently we are 20-1... so, worth a couple of quid... you can always lay it off if the odds shorten before the end of the season (I suspect that they will).
I could be wrong though – I often am... one thing is for sure - my eyes are open and I’m watching my team very, very carefully.
As an aside - was the Guardian ever a good paper and why did my dad stop reading it... I know he always regarded himself as a bit of a socialist. He would even take us on weekend days out to Highgate cemetery to peek in on Karl Marx’s grave, feed squirrels and fly kites in the adjacent park... he used to mumble something about Marx although I nerver took very much notice. Now all I see around London are fly-posters of Marx with the same sort of mumbles on them.
Maybe the Guardian lost it's 'socialist' heart along with it's spelling errors - or maybe my dad's now a just a signed up a capitalist - I can't decide... things change with time - like football.
We'll call it a draw I think... 2-2.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/nov/07/premierleague-arsenal
Now this story is interesting in many ways – firstly Wenger comes out and accuses the refs of targeting Arsenal unfairly and then this rare nugget slips out which states: “Bookies savour Arsenal failure”. So we have:
1) The referees are targeting Arsenal in key matches.
2) Bookies make a killing out of Arsenal under-performing in key matches.
Hmmm… shit – man, this is a toughie, I have 2 right and I need to put it together with another 2 – so, if I put 2 and 2 together it makes... hmm – I think I need some help from the Numberjacks (my daughters’ second favourite program on CBeebies):
“Brain gain, brain gain
Get together use our brains,
Time to get your brains all linking,
Up together,
Joined up thinking”
By crikey I think I understand now!
The article then goes on to point out that the mug money is on United... and the bookies will hope and prey to their bookie gods of back-handers and brown paper bungs tied up with string that Arsenal can ‘do them another favour’ and cause an upset. Whether this is true or not; I don’t know – but, given the early odds - I suspect it is. The smart money will land late – it always does.
Hmmm… I wonder who the ref is?
Oh my giddy fucking aunt it’s only Howard fucking Webb!!!
This game is going to be bent as they come... but I still think it’s risky as the mancs have a good squad and will want to win – I would sell manure on the A/H... alternatively get on the high side on the yellows and a sneaky fiver on a red.
Wait until the morning papers though and try to work out where they want your cash to go – then oppose it. It’s been a Manu/Arsenal media circus the last few days with various articles pushing this as a ‘must win’ match... Arsenal have been undersold in the media – and the pictures tell it all i.e. looks of despair on Arsenal players faces Vs pictures of a happy, smiling Ronaldo/Rooney and articles stating that Rooney is going to ‘put us to the sword’... we have been undersold but not written off (as Liverpool were in the Chelsea match) – so maybe a draw then?
Back to that article:
“The layers will be hoping Arsène Wenger's side can do them another favour tomorrow against Manchester United, only this time they want them to beat their visitors rather than slip up.”
It has to be said, and I have said it before, that despite the decisions made by the ref; we are giving some of these games away (i.e. the ones in favour of the bookies) and ‘slipping up’ far too easily. In seasons past we would have battled against the odds to get the result – of course, it didn’t come to anything as the pitch would be tilted and the run of bad decisions simply increased to match and cancel out the extra effort. This season is different – and I suspect that we may be treading a murky path... and, if I am correct – then what will that do for our title aspirations?
Currently we are 20-1... so, worth a couple of quid... you can always lay it off if the odds shorten before the end of the season (I suspect that they will).
I could be wrong though – I often am... one thing is for sure - my eyes are open and I’m watching my team very, very carefully.
As an aside - was the Guardian ever a good paper and why did my dad stop reading it... I know he always regarded himself as a bit of a socialist. He would even take us on weekend days out to Highgate cemetery to peek in on Karl Marx’s grave, feed squirrels and fly kites in the adjacent park... he used to mumble something about Marx although I nerver took very much notice. Now all I see around London are fly-posters of Marx with the same sort of mumbles on them.
Maybe the Guardian lost it's 'socialist' heart along with it's spelling errors - or maybe my dad's now a just a signed up a capitalist - I can't decide... things change with time - like football.
We'll call it a draw I think... 2-2.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Half man half machine, what does it mean, what does it mean?
It was quite a good game last night – ok, we didn’t smash Fenerbahce – but it was nice to see a competitive match... well – 70 minutes of competition before the team ran out of puff and settled on a point (much to Wenger’s disapproval). They had a charmed goal last night and I have to say that they defended well and their keeper had a great game. Robin van Persie had a great game too... although he didn’t score – he did everything but.
Although, in the last 20 minutes I felt the game was smothered by the ref somewhat and we missed out on a couple of goal scoring opportunities because of it, would it have made a difference?
Probably not.
I opted for club level in the end as the view is better and the beer available and free. Tamzin Outhwaite sat behind me with Tom Ellis (I think), they have been at every game that I’ve sat up there (and there have been some obscure ones) - they are among the few that make any noise, so I guess that they are ok for *celebrities*. Oh - It was her birthday apparently. Another ‘face’ that is always there is Dara O'Briain – you should see him inhale a pie at half time – 3 bites and the fecker is gone... being Irish - I wonder why he supports Arsenal? I'm not saying that there are no Irish gooners - but its rare (we have more Malaysian and Nigerian gooners than Scottish or Irish) as the is no sectarian history with the club... perhaps that, in itself, is reason enough - or maybe it's just his local team.
*UPDATE*
In a pub conversation; dhjackal (resident Irishman) informs me that 'there are loads' of Irish gooners due to the days of Brady, O'Leary and Stapleton... but 'any fecker wid any sense followed United'.
*END UPDATE*
While I was watching last night; I kept thinking that Roberto Carlos looked fat and past it... I checked his stats in the programme and found out he was actually 1 day younger than me – man; that hurt!
The only negatives last night I could find were that Bendtner and Nasri were having very bad games – it looked like they were stoned half the time or had been out on a massive bender the night before – I don’t think they have got any excuses for not being sharp especially considering the game we have on Saturday.
So all in all last night was frustrating and ultimately a little disappointing but for a laugh click here:
http://shop.tottenhamhotspur.com/spurs08/detail.php?productid=ST39060&proddesc=Arsenal+4+-+4+Spurs
Or here:
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/grabapieceofderbyhistory041108.html
Sad fuckers… apparently they need the money to buy some new headphones or something. I’m tempted to go for the shirt and get Harry to sign it in a creative manner.
“Tottenham are shit” – Harry Redknapp
If the price was right - I bet he would do it too!
*WENGER WATCH*
Arsene Wenger has come out and stated the obvious i.e. the refs are bent:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7712255.stm
Although this story was quickly smothered by the manager of Shitkicker FC, Tony Pulis, stating that he was really worried that his nice bunch of brave and plucky lads might get ‘unfair treatment’ because of the nasty Mr Wenger putting a hex on them...
The man is taking the piss:
“People in general can be swayed if they're not watching you play and what you are trying to achieve. They read the papers and unfortunately a lot of people believe what they read. Sometimes the truth is a long, long way away from what people are actually saying.”
One wonders what he sees when he looks in the mirror...
Pulis, you should have laid off Walcott – it will come back to haunt you as now Delap (your 1 trick pony) can be red carded at will with the commentators smoothing over any cracks in the decision with the opiate words:
“the man who [intentionally] injured Theo Walcott”
To the sage nodding of the watching populous... whether it be fair or, indeed, foul. Get used to this chant:
“What’s that coming over the hill? It’s relegation! It’s relegation!”
Oh and while you are doing that; check your match schedule boys and have a look at just who will be sending you down and pounding the final nail in your coffin in the final 'nail biting', 'to the wire' game of the season.
...Hmmm...
Of course this story was then smothered by the bigger story of Alex Ferguson being charged for pointing out to Mike Dean that he is in fact a bell end... one has to wonder at the timing of this. A recent conversation in a ASI discussion thread got me thinking:
ASI_EuroGooner wrote 3 hours ago
"I think arsenal are at their best when people write them off, when they're not expected to win or do well or whatever.Cause then they play without pressure as everyone expects them to lose anyways...it happened last season, even before the season started, we were written off, we all know how that went 4 pts off the leaders and robbed in the champions league. It happened when we played AC milan, people thought kaka,gattuso etc. etc. would give our young guns a lesson in football...of course that didn't happen either. what I'm trying to say here is we play well when we have no weight of expectation on our backs so go ahead...write off THE ARSENAL cause that's how they like it best.but don't be surprised if we pull of an upset against the mancs and make the likes of rooney, berbatov, ronaldo, giggs etc."
DogFace replied 3 hours ago
"More to the point - we are allowed to play well when the weight of gambling liquidity isn't on our backs...
Think about it."
So... with SAF safely bound and gagged and Arsenal written off in the media as 'injury ridden' and 'spineless' – I wonder where the money is going this w/e?
I’ll be watching the back pages very carefully over the next few days...
...I suggest you do the same.
And, as if by magic... as I was typing, look what just appeared:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7713259.stm
C'mon yous reds!
Although, in the last 20 minutes I felt the game was smothered by the ref somewhat and we missed out on a couple of goal scoring opportunities because of it, would it have made a difference?
Probably not.
I opted for club level in the end as the view is better and the beer available and free. Tamzin Outhwaite sat behind me with Tom Ellis (I think), they have been at every game that I’ve sat up there (and there have been some obscure ones) - they are among the few that make any noise, so I guess that they are ok for *celebrities*. Oh - It was her birthday apparently. Another ‘face’ that is always there is Dara O'Briain – you should see him inhale a pie at half time – 3 bites and the fecker is gone... being Irish - I wonder why he supports Arsenal? I'm not saying that there are no Irish gooners - but its rare (we have more Malaysian and Nigerian gooners than Scottish or Irish) as the is no sectarian history with the club... perhaps that, in itself, is reason enough - or maybe it's just his local team.
*UPDATE*
In a pub conversation; dhjackal (resident Irishman) informs me that 'there are loads' of Irish gooners due to the days of Brady, O'Leary and Stapleton... but 'any fecker wid any sense followed United'.
*END UPDATE*
While I was watching last night; I kept thinking that Roberto Carlos looked fat and past it... I checked his stats in the programme and found out he was actually 1 day younger than me – man; that hurt!
The only negatives last night I could find were that Bendtner and Nasri were having very bad games – it looked like they were stoned half the time or had been out on a massive bender the night before – I don’t think they have got any excuses for not being sharp especially considering the game we have on Saturday.
So all in all last night was frustrating and ultimately a little disappointing but for a laugh click here:
http://shop.tottenhamhotspur.com/spurs08/detail.php?productid=ST39060&proddesc=Arsenal+4+-+4+Spurs
Or here:
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/grabapieceofderbyhistory041108.html
Sad fuckers… apparently they need the money to buy some new headphones or something. I’m tempted to go for the shirt and get Harry to sign it in a creative manner.
“Tottenham are shit” – Harry Redknapp
If the price was right - I bet he would do it too!
*WENGER WATCH*
Arsene Wenger has come out and stated the obvious i.e. the refs are bent:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7712255.stm
Although this story was quickly smothered by the manager of Shitkicker FC, Tony Pulis, stating that he was really worried that his nice bunch of brave and plucky lads might get ‘unfair treatment’ because of the nasty Mr Wenger putting a hex on them...
The man is taking the piss:
“People in general can be swayed if they're not watching you play and what you are trying to achieve. They read the papers and unfortunately a lot of people believe what they read. Sometimes the truth is a long, long way away from what people are actually saying.”
One wonders what he sees when he looks in the mirror...
Pulis, you should have laid off Walcott – it will come back to haunt you as now Delap (your 1 trick pony) can be red carded at will with the commentators smoothing over any cracks in the decision with the opiate words:
“the man who [intentionally] injured Theo Walcott”
To the sage nodding of the watching populous... whether it be fair or, indeed, foul. Get used to this chant:
“What’s that coming over the hill? It’s relegation! It’s relegation!”
Oh and while you are doing that; check your match schedule boys and have a look at just who will be sending you down and pounding the final nail in your coffin in the final 'nail biting', 'to the wire' game of the season.
...Hmmm...
Of course this story was then smothered by the bigger story of Alex Ferguson being charged for pointing out to Mike Dean that he is in fact a bell end... one has to wonder at the timing of this. A recent conversation in a ASI discussion thread got me thinking:
ASI_EuroGooner wrote 3 hours ago
"I think arsenal are at their best when people write them off, when they're not expected to win or do well or whatever.Cause then they play without pressure as everyone expects them to lose anyways...it happened last season, even before the season started, we were written off, we all know how that went 4 pts off the leaders and robbed in the champions league. It happened when we played AC milan, people thought kaka,gattuso etc. etc. would give our young guns a lesson in football...of course that didn't happen either. what I'm trying to say here is we play well when we have no weight of expectation on our backs so go ahead...write off THE ARSENAL cause that's how they like it best.but don't be surprised if we pull of an upset against the mancs and make the likes of rooney, berbatov, ronaldo, giggs etc."
DogFace replied 3 hours ago
"More to the point - we are allowed to play well when the weight of gambling liquidity isn't on our backs...
Think about it."
So... with SAF safely bound and gagged and Arsenal written off in the media as 'injury ridden' and 'spineless' – I wonder where the money is going this w/e?
I’ll be watching the back pages very carefully over the next few days...
...I suggest you do the same.
And, as if by magic... as I was typing, look what just appeared:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7713259.stm
C'mon yous reds!
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
I fell in love with the dreams of children
I hate matches like that... well – I love them too, you know the ones I mean, the matches that are good games for the neutral to watch. Fenerbahce were obviously far from great but going into the game there were a lot of negative noises floating about... i.e. how the home crowed would get to us, how Fenerbahce never lose at home, how our makeshift defence was too frail to cope – etc.
On the Facebook intelligentsia discussion group (where I periodically lurk) all of these dark clouds seemed to have gathered and there were predictive mumbles of 0-1, 1-1 and 2-2 being the end result – the overwhelming consensus was that: "it would be a tough game". I alone predicted: "We are going to smash them 1-4" – so I was almost right. I even put my money where my mouth was and went large on HT/FT Arsenal/Arsenal and got fantastic odds :-D. I'm yet to figure out where all this doom and gloom came from – the talking heads in the commentary box were doing their bit pre-match to pour water on our chances... but think, ignore that cunt, his ilk and what the papers tell you – remember we are the team who fucked AC Milan in their own back yard – so who the fuck are Fenerbahce anyway?
That's what right minded Arsenal fans should have been thinking... there's no way we were going to lose that game – even with Song and Silvestre as centre backs.
Fenerbahce, give them their due, were right battlers and never gave up on attacking – they had belief right up until half time that they could score themselves right back into the match. Full respect to them – I was a very nervous gooner and was praying for the half time whistle to preserve out 2 goal advantage... in the dressing room when the adrenaline starts to wane and you are 1-3 down – it's much harder to get motivated than if you were 2-3.
The whistle came and I breathed a sigh of relief.
The half time period was spent online discussing who was more of a liability at CB; Silvestre or Song – I thought Silvestre looked out of place and Song was getting exposed in the air... Silvestre also tends to hump it up field rather than play it out, which I felt upset our flow a bit... the Fenerbahce goal went in off Silvestre but it came off a foul on Song (who may or may not have had enough height to clear it) so I couldn't really hold either of them responsible for it. Right after the break though our nit-picking was silenced when Song scored with a Silvestre assist... hey ho!
But let's rewind to the first half for a second. The first two goals were absolute magic – and all of it went through Fabregas... it looked all too easy for first Adebayor then Walcott to get in behind the defence but both movements were timed to perfection. Fabregas was awesome. His vision and skill made them look like schoolboys twice within 70 seconds – Ade and Theo just had to keep their nerve... which, of course, they did and they finished like they were on the training ground... I like to think that Fabregas caught Aragones' eye on the way off the field with a knowing smirk, "not bad for a Catalan eh? Just you wait for the home leg – then I'll really going to punish you old man for leaving me on the bench in the Euros!"
The other midfielder who showed some ambition to get a regular start was Diaby. Diaby had a blinder; he chased balls like a spaniel on crack and attacked/finished like a seasoned striker! We've seen Diaby do this before... the Carling Cup final against Chelsea is an occasion which springs to mind – if he can stay injury free and focused then I expect to see much more of him as a versatile regular adding the depth in options we need in the midfield.
Much was made of the Fenerbahce fans reputation of being thuggish and uncompromising – but not so, they struck me intelligent and devoted. They wanted to unsettle us – but it didn't work. They wanted to unsettle the officials – again, it didn't work... and at the end they had no complaints... they even applauded Arsenal off the field – so hardly the bunch of stabby Turkish hooligans that they were painted as... maybe they only get a bit stabby and angry when they feel hard done by I wonder?
Talking head #1 (the one spewing a torrent of inane shit under the guise of commentary) tripped over his lying tongue with this 'off the cuff' (i.e. pre written card with a list of things to drop in if he could) remark:
"Oh the Fenerbahce fans are getting at the officials but it's all too easy to blame the referee when your heroes are having an off day."
It was in a tone of voice that was so irritatingly condescending and obviously directed that, in a bid to purge to poison from my ear, I involuntarily shouted: "FUCK OFF" before he finished his sentence... that'll be the Tourette's again! This illustrates to me that this year we are going to be robbed again... although I concede that I actively look for it so my perception may be bias. The template is set and the criminals all briefed with their alibis and cover stories... you tell me - who else was that comment meant for?
The mornings papers reaffirmed my opinion... it was all about Manchester United and Berbatov's 'exhilarating' display against the mighty Celtic... Arsenal – 3 pages in, buried. Sky sports news this morning even went as far as to show the goals/scores from every other game last night and miss the Arsenal match out completely!
Fuckers.
Firstly the mighty Berbatov's goals were both fucking offside right and secondly they beat Celtic at home. Lets look at the facts:
a) United were unbeaten in the last 16 European home games.
b) Celtic have lost 17 of their last 18 European games.
So, considering this; is the fact that Manchester United cheated their way to a 3-0 victory over Celtic really news?
Conversely let's look at the basic facts of the Arsenal game:
a) Fenerbahce were undefeated at home in 15 European games.
b) The Arsenal team's average age was 22 and cost less to assemble than the 'offside goal-hanger' Berbatov's transfer fee.
c) Arsenal played some proper football and beat Fenerbahce fair and square in a glorious open game that was 'great for the neutral' 2 goals to 5.
So answer me this – in retrospect, which game/result is more newsworthy/praiseworthy and why do I see nothing but pictures of Berbatov's smiling fucking face this morning?
I think I preferred him at Tottenham.
Let's now look forward to the game against West Ham at the weekend. It does not bode well, in my book, that last night's result was so crudely brushed under the media carpet. It does not bode well that the talking heads are apologising in advance for the referee and officials... it does not bode well at all.
Personally I think we are going to smash them... although lets look at a worst case scenario:
Howard Webb gets to ref the match.
Webb, as we know, is right up the Hammers arse – I guess this is because a significant percentage of West Ham fans are racist thugs and he's an ex copper... so he feels right at home in his workplace.
But even with Webb giving the Hammers 'Carte Blanche' taciticy to kick the shit out of us and his itchy twitchy whistle finger in and around the Arsenal penalty area; I still rate our chances. West Ham are in chaos due to the bankruptcy of Iceland (see previous post somewhere); they need to raise around 50 million quid in the next transfer window to avoid administration... so all the players will have one eye on the door and hopefully be looking to show some individual talent i.e. play a game of football rather than shut up shop and stick the boot in. Also Zola isn't Curbishly, he's new, naive and idealistic; and I can't see him pre match telling his team to "kick us out of the game, play for a draw and trip over your own feet anywhere in a scoring position" as he'll be looking to attract cheap young talent and loan deals in January to play his style of football... we also have nice, squeaky clean English Theo 'I'm-not-a-granny-fucker' Walcott – and if worst comes to worst – players looking at pay cuts and transfers wouldn't dare kick him off the field and risk the public backlash if they broke him.
No fear Theo!
Let's see what happens...
On the Facebook intelligentsia discussion group (where I periodically lurk) all of these dark clouds seemed to have gathered and there were predictive mumbles of 0-1, 1-1 and 2-2 being the end result – the overwhelming consensus was that: "it would be a tough game". I alone predicted: "We are going to smash them 1-4" – so I was almost right. I even put my money where my mouth was and went large on HT/FT Arsenal/Arsenal and got fantastic odds :-D. I'm yet to figure out where all this doom and gloom came from – the talking heads in the commentary box were doing their bit pre-match to pour water on our chances... but think, ignore that cunt, his ilk and what the papers tell you – remember we are the team who fucked AC Milan in their own back yard – so who the fuck are Fenerbahce anyway?
That's what right minded Arsenal fans should have been thinking... there's no way we were going to lose that game – even with Song and Silvestre as centre backs.
Fenerbahce, give them their due, were right battlers and never gave up on attacking – they had belief right up until half time that they could score themselves right back into the match. Full respect to them – I was a very nervous gooner and was praying for the half time whistle to preserve out 2 goal advantage... in the dressing room when the adrenaline starts to wane and you are 1-3 down – it's much harder to get motivated than if you were 2-3.
The whistle came and I breathed a sigh of relief.
The half time period was spent online discussing who was more of a liability at CB; Silvestre or Song – I thought Silvestre looked out of place and Song was getting exposed in the air... Silvestre also tends to hump it up field rather than play it out, which I felt upset our flow a bit... the Fenerbahce goal went in off Silvestre but it came off a foul on Song (who may or may not have had enough height to clear it) so I couldn't really hold either of them responsible for it. Right after the break though our nit-picking was silenced when Song scored with a Silvestre assist... hey ho!
But let's rewind to the first half for a second. The first two goals were absolute magic – and all of it went through Fabregas... it looked all too easy for first Adebayor then Walcott to get in behind the defence but both movements were timed to perfection. Fabregas was awesome. His vision and skill made them look like schoolboys twice within 70 seconds – Ade and Theo just had to keep their nerve... which, of course, they did and they finished like they were on the training ground... I like to think that Fabregas caught Aragones' eye on the way off the field with a knowing smirk, "not bad for a Catalan eh? Just you wait for the home leg – then I'll really going to punish you old man for leaving me on the bench in the Euros!"
The other midfielder who showed some ambition to get a regular start was Diaby. Diaby had a blinder; he chased balls like a spaniel on crack and attacked/finished like a seasoned striker! We've seen Diaby do this before... the Carling Cup final against Chelsea is an occasion which springs to mind – if he can stay injury free and focused then I expect to see much more of him as a versatile regular adding the depth in options we need in the midfield.
Much was made of the Fenerbahce fans reputation of being thuggish and uncompromising – but not so, they struck me intelligent and devoted. They wanted to unsettle us – but it didn't work. They wanted to unsettle the officials – again, it didn't work... and at the end they had no complaints... they even applauded Arsenal off the field – so hardly the bunch of stabby Turkish hooligans that they were painted as... maybe they only get a bit stabby and angry when they feel hard done by I wonder?
Talking head #1 (the one spewing a torrent of inane shit under the guise of commentary) tripped over his lying tongue with this 'off the cuff' (i.e. pre written card with a list of things to drop in if he could) remark:
"Oh the Fenerbahce fans are getting at the officials but it's all too easy to blame the referee when your heroes are having an off day."
It was in a tone of voice that was so irritatingly condescending and obviously directed that, in a bid to purge to poison from my ear, I involuntarily shouted: "FUCK OFF" before he finished his sentence... that'll be the Tourette's again! This illustrates to me that this year we are going to be robbed again... although I concede that I actively look for it so my perception may be bias. The template is set and the criminals all briefed with their alibis and cover stories... you tell me - who else was that comment meant for?
The mornings papers reaffirmed my opinion... it was all about Manchester United and Berbatov's 'exhilarating' display against the mighty Celtic... Arsenal – 3 pages in, buried. Sky sports news this morning even went as far as to show the goals/scores from every other game last night and miss the Arsenal match out completely!
Fuckers.
Firstly the mighty Berbatov's goals were both fucking offside right and secondly they beat Celtic at home. Lets look at the facts:
a) United were unbeaten in the last 16 European home games.
b) Celtic have lost 17 of their last 18 European games.
So, considering this; is the fact that Manchester United cheated their way to a 3-0 victory over Celtic really news?
Conversely let's look at the basic facts of the Arsenal game:
a) Fenerbahce were undefeated at home in 15 European games.
b) The Arsenal team's average age was 22 and cost less to assemble than the 'offside goal-hanger' Berbatov's transfer fee.
c) Arsenal played some proper football and beat Fenerbahce fair and square in a glorious open game that was 'great for the neutral' 2 goals to 5.
So answer me this – in retrospect, which game/result is more newsworthy/praiseworthy and why do I see nothing but pictures of Berbatov's smiling fucking face this morning?
I think I preferred him at Tottenham.
Let's now look forward to the game against West Ham at the weekend. It does not bode well, in my book, that last night's result was so crudely brushed under the media carpet. It does not bode well that the talking heads are apologising in advance for the referee and officials... it does not bode well at all.
Personally I think we are going to smash them... although lets look at a worst case scenario:
Howard Webb gets to ref the match.
Webb, as we know, is right up the Hammers arse – I guess this is because a significant percentage of West Ham fans are racist thugs and he's an ex copper... so he feels right at home in his workplace.
But even with Webb giving the Hammers 'Carte Blanche' taciticy to kick the shit out of us and his itchy twitchy whistle finger in and around the Arsenal penalty area; I still rate our chances. West Ham are in chaos due to the bankruptcy of Iceland (see previous post somewhere); they need to raise around 50 million quid in the next transfer window to avoid administration... so all the players will have one eye on the door and hopefully be looking to show some individual talent i.e. play a game of football rather than shut up shop and stick the boot in. Also Zola isn't Curbishly, he's new, naive and idealistic; and I can't see him pre match telling his team to "kick us out of the game, play for a draw and trip over your own feet anywhere in a scoring position" as he'll be looking to attract cheap young talent and loan deals in January to play his style of football... we also have nice, squeaky clean English Theo 'I'm-not-a-granny-fucker' Walcott – and if worst comes to worst – players looking at pay cuts and transfers wouldn't dare kick him off the field and risk the public backlash if they broke him.
No fear Theo!
Let's see what happens...
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Seasons in the Sun
[24/06/2008 10:48:45] dhjackal says: oi
[24/06/2008 10:48:46] dhjackal says: on betfair how do you put on a e/w bet
[24/06/2008 10:49:39] DogFace says: Erm... I think that you have to do two bets - 1 "placed" and one "to win".
[24/06/2008 10:51:10] dhjackal says: ok
[24/06/2008 10:51:31] DogFace says: You're not getting on the feckin' horses again are you?
[24/06/2008 10:51:52] dhjackal says: :-P
[24/06/2008 10:51:58] dhjackal says: 12/1 tip
[24/06/2008 10:52:03] DogFace says: from whom?
[24/06/2008 10:52:14] dhjackal says: some bloke down the boozer
[24/06/2008 10:52:19] dhjackal says: (rofl)
[24/06/2008 10:52:27] DogFace says: Blimey - I'm getting on it!
[24/06/2008 10:52:33] dhjackal says: excellent
[24/06/2008 10:52:40] DogFace says: Spread the wealth man!?
[24/06/2008 10:52:46] dhjackal says: he owns horses apparently
[24/06/2008 10:53:06] DogFace says: Hang on - it really was some bloke down the pub?
[24/06/2008 10:53:33] DogFace says: :^)
[24/06/2008 10:53:43] dhjackal says: (nod)
[24/06/2008 10:53:46] dhjackal says: (smirk)
[24/06/2008 10:54:09] DogFace says: When's it running?
[24/06/2008 11:00:22] dhjackal says: Arctic Blue, 18:50 at newbury
[24/06/2008 11:01:25] DogFace says: I'm on it huge - 100 grand on the nose. Tomorrow I'll be a millionaire.
[24/06/2008 11:01:44] dhjackal says: :-
[24/06/2008 11:02:15] DogFace says: I'll buy you a pint if I win
[24/06/2008 11:02:34] dhjackal says: :-O
[24/06/2008 11:02:46] DogFace says: and a packet of peanuts
[24/06/2008 11:02:57] dhjackal says: (happy)
[24/06/2008 12:45:42] dhjackal says: cup of char?
[24/06/2008 12:45:48] dhjackal says: need to run something by you
[24/06/2008 12:45:53] DogFace says: righto
*dhjackal explains over the tea-urn that the local kids are using his back garden fence, that backs onto the local reccie, as a makeshift goal which leads to them kicking the ball over the fence and said kids breaking into his garden to get their ball back. Last week a ball flew over and spilt his beer. A few weeks before one hit a table and broke a wine glass. Various different methods of deterring this 'scourge of youth' impinging on his drinking were discussed. dhjackal came up with a plan to dig holes 'upon a midnight dreary' in the makeshift penalty area; whereas I suggested trellis with a creeper to stop the kids climbing over. dhjackal currently has four confiscated footballs in his shed.*
[24/06/2008 12:57:44] DogFace says: Check out this bad boy - 12" holes!
[24/06/2008 12:57:45] DogFace says: http://www.toolsinstock.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=307208
[24/06/2008 12:57:49] dhjackal says: nice - i like
[24/06/2008 12:57:58] dhjackal says: the inlaws might have one
[24/06/2008 12:58:07] DogFace says: Then you are sorted
[24/06/2008 12:58:13] dhjackal says: they have a massive garden and loads of stuff like that
[24/06/2008 13:02:21] DogFace says: I bet you could rent a petrol one for £20
[24/06/2008 13:02:31] dhjackal says: HARD CORE
[24/06/2008 13:02:42] DogFace says: You would get the job done right quick...
[24/06/2008 13:02:53] dhjackal says: true
[24/06/2008 13:03:07] dhjackal says: i need to check the weather cos i need to do it ninja stylie
[24/06/2008 13:04:01] DogFace says: Why not just paint on the fence "Gay boys hangout"
[24/06/2008 13:04:11] dhjackal says: brilliant
[24/06/2008 13:04:16] DogFace says: They would soon feck off as everyone would take the piss.
[24/06/2008 13:04:33] DogFace says: You just need a pot of paint and a big brush...
[24/06/2008 13:06:33] DogFace says: ...or - in big letters: "I HAVE A SMALL PENIS" that can be seen from a long way off. I mean - who would want to be associated with that?
[24/06/2008 13:07:08] dhjackal says: well i'm not sure i want that sprawled on the back of my fence
[24/06/2008 13:16:00] DogFace says: It'll be on the council fence.
[24/06/2008 13:16:16] dhjackal says: technically they are one and the same
[24/06/2008 13:16:21] DogFace says: It'll ensure that nobody ever hangs out there for anything ever again.
[24/06/2008 13:16:31] DogFace says: What would you prefer?
[24/06/2008 13:16:57] DogFace says: Balls flying over and kids in your garden jumping around on your flower beds - or peace and quiet with a few people thinking you have a small cock?
[24/06/2008 13:17:17] dhjackal says: (smirk)
[24/06/2008 13:17:39] dhjackal says: i think the gay boys hangout would work better
[24/06/2008 13:17:51] dhjackal says: you know what kids that age are like
[24/06/2008 13:18:03] dhjackal says: totally anti homosexual
[24/06/2008 13:18:12] DogFace says: OK - then stick with "GAY BOYS HANGOUT".
[24/06/2008 13:18:38] DogFace says: As the place to meet like-minded gays will be on the other side of your fence - you will not be implicated as 'a gay' yourself.
[24/06/2008 13:18:58] dhjackal says: we'll see, i'll try a few other things first before resorting to vandalism
[24/06/2008 13:19:01] dhjackal says: :^)
[24/06/2008 13:19:05] DogFace says: Hey - it's better than digging holes in the pitch and you might create a hot spot for the local gay community.
[24/06/2008 13:19:23] dhjackal says: then i might end up with loads of batty boys hanging round my gaff
[24/06/2008 13:19:54] dhjackal says: as i said
[24/06/2008 13:19:58] dhjackal says: i'll think about it
[24/06/2008 13:19:58] DogFace says: It would be fine - they would chat to your missus and do the washing up...
[24/06/2008 13:20:05] dhjackal says: brilliant - i'll get some pink paint on the way home
[24/06/2008 13:20:24] DogFace says: ...and discuss throw cushions and all that other shit you can't be arsed with.
[24/06/2008 13:20:31] dhjackal says: then i'll be able to watch the footy in peace
[24/06/2008 13:20:35] DogFace says: exactly.
[24/06/2008 13:20:40] dhjackal says: love it
[24/06/2008 13:31:59] DogFace says: "Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is being lined up by Westlife to replace band member Brian McFadden." - The Sun
[24/06/2008 13:33:06] dhjackal says: get a grip / life
[24/06/2008 13:34:06] DogFace says: Ha, check it – it's true: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news?id=43187
[24/06/2008 13:34:41] DogFace says: So... Ronaldo is off to Real and Rooney is going to be a pop star!?
[24/06/2008 13:34:56] DogFace says: (rofl)
[24/06/2008 13:36:52] DogFace says: Fergison is going to smacking their heads together when they turn up to pre-season training!
[24/06/2008 13:38:03] dhjackal says: oi
[24/06/2008 13:38:15] dhjackal says: (wait)
[24/06/2008 13:39:59] DogFace says: ...ok...
[24/06/2008 13:40:40] dhjackal says: (finger)
[24/06/2008 14:21:16] dhjackal says: i'm down for £5
[24/06/2008 14:21:34] DogFace says: £5 on what?
[24/06/2008 14:21:40] dhjackal says: that horse
[24/06/2008 14:21:50] DogFace says: You got access to Betfair now?
[24/06/2008 14:21:55] dhjackal says: no - but my mate has.
[24/06/2008 14:22:15] DogFace says: You each way?
[24/06/2008 14:22:21] dhjackal says: yep - 16/1
[24/06/2008 14:22:30] DogFace says: 16/1 to be placed?
[24/06/2008 14:22:41] dhjackal says: no 3.3 to be placed
[24/06/2008 14:22:50] DogFace says: Right... ok - was going to say...
[24/06/2008 14:23:27] DogFace says: ...why not just flush your fiver down the bog?
[24/06/2008 14:23:30] DogFace says: (chuckle)
[24/06/2008 14:30:50] dhjackal says: that's rich esp coming from you
[24/06/2008 14:31:04] dhjackal says: isn't that what you do everytime you place a bet
[24/06/2008 14:31:13] DogFace says: Ha-ha... not quite every time.
[24/06/2008 14:31:15] dhjackal says: with one of your therioes?
[24/06/2008 14:31:40] DogFace says: As your previous broker; I have your full betting history for the horses on an excel spreadsheet if you wish to study it? It makes interesting reading...
[24/06/2008 14:31:52] dhjackal says: thanks
[24/06/2008 14:32:22] dhjackal says: that's down to that fucking idiot Abhay
[24/06/2008 14:32:43] DogFace says: ...So the random bloke you met down the pub is more reliable?
[24/06/2008 14:33:31] DogFace says: Anyway - I won a shit load on the CL final... so I'm still up on the football.
[24/06/2008 14:33:44] DogFace says: And if Russia wins then I'm more-up.
[24/06/2008 14:34:17] dhjackal says: whatever
[24/06/2008 14:35:24] DogFace says: I was doing so well until the fecking Croatia/Germany game :-(.
[24/06/2008 14:37:11] DogFace says: I layed heavy on the Croatians and Germany didn't even turn up... then, as I recall, after I invested another tenner - you advised me to go with instinct... on fucking Croatia again!
[24/06/2008 14:37:37] dhjackal says: tough life isn't it
[24/06/2008 14:38:00] DogFace says: AND - you got me to stick a fiver on it for you too!
[24/06/2008 14:38:12] dhjackal says: i didn't tell you to back the Germans in the Croatia game?
[24/06/2008 14:38:22] DogFace says: No... you didn't; that was my error... besides - I layed Croatia.– but you did in the Turkey game!
[24/06/2008 14:38:36] dhjackal says: and Germany to beat Portugal
[24/06/2008 14:38:37] dhjackal says: and
[24/06/2008 14:38:38] dhjackal says: and
[24/06/2008 14:38:39] dhjackal says: and
[24/06/2008 14:38:43] dhjackal says: Man Utd to win the league
[24/06/2008 14:38:47] dhjackal says: and CL
[24/06/2008 14:38:48] dhjackal says: and
[24/06/2008 14:39:01] DogFace says: As I told you - I made a mint on the CL final... although I didn't place any bets on the actual winner.
[24/06/2008 14:39:13] dhjackal says: altogether now
[24/06/2008 14:39:22] dhjackal says: say we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:24] dhjackal says: we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:27] dhjackal says: say we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:29] DogFace says: Oh Christ...
[24/06/2008 14:39:31] dhjackal says: we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:39] DogFace says: ...here we go again.
[24/06/2008 14:39:42] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[24/06/2008 14:39:46] dhjackal says: (party)
[24/06/2008 14:39:49] dhjackal says: say we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:52] dhjackal says: (dance)
[24/06/2008 14:39:54] dhjackal says: we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:55] dhjackal says: say we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:39:57] dhjackal says: we are Champions
[24/06/2008 14:40:09] DogFace says: -(
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Roast fish and cornbread
Meh... I'm going to stick with rolling the dice in future. I didn't get to see the second half of either game as the missus wanted to watch a program about chav parents that only feed their kids chocolate, jelly babies and unhappy meals because "they won't eat nuffink else"... here's a clue – don't buy anymore brown vegetable fat (masquerading as chocolate), crisps or 4 litre bottles of luminous aerated fluids and pack your fucking cupboards out with them... try fresh fruit, vegetables and meat instead and pluck/skin, chop and cook it – maybe you could source it from your local market or game dealer (they do exist) and WALK there like all the middle class people who are eating better, healthier (and fucking 'trendier') than you for less money - do you know how much it costs to make a proper nice soup and a loaf of bread using only a few basic ingredients, a saucepan and an oven – about as much as a pack of hulk yogurts (18% dairy) and some 'cheese' strings... or a 20 B&H. You could even get the kids involved, make it fun and stretch their imaginations... or maybe not and your kids will turn out to be fat, useless, brain-dead automatons – just like you... it's like genetics except your kids are inheriting your stupid pig-headed stubborn fucking ignorance. Jesus Christ – look in the mirror – WAKE UP! YOUR CHILDREN ARE YOUR ONLY LEGACY!
Hang on – what the fuck am I on about... this is a football blog!??! Nothing gets me shouting at the telly more than adverts, documentaries and football.
Right, so, I gave rubbish tips yesterday – I admit... but what about tonight? Let's check out the group:
Group C P GD PTS
1 Netherlands 2 6 6
2 Romania 2 0 2
3 France 2 -3 1
4 Italy 2 -3 1
This is interesting... Romania just needs to beat a team that have already qualified top to go through! My, my, my... where as there is a 'Grudge Match' replay of the world cup final happening at the same time!
France v Italy @ Zurich
Hmm, avoid this match or roll the dice – France I reckon... even though they're bonkers, I'd like to see Henry score... it won't matter though because:
Netherlands v Romania @ Berne
Romania all the way baby – COME ON ROMANIA! Go on Netherlands – give 'em a chance... RvP to start maybe?
Now... what game should I watch?
[17/06/2008 13:34:17] DogFace says: Who for tonight?
[17/06/2008 13:34:32] DogFace says: France/Italy & Netherlands/Romania
[17/06/2008 13:35:12] dhjackal says: tough one tonight
[17/06/2008 13:35:19] DogFace says: I agree...
[17/06/2008 13:35:26] dhjackal says: i'm staying away
[17/06/2008 13:35:27] DogFace says: France & Romania?
[17/06/2008 13:35:52] dhjackal says: France have the best National anthem
[17/06/2008 13:36:03] DogFace says: Yeah - it's good.
[17/06/2008 13:36:19] dhjackal says: for a bunch of surrender monkeys
[17/06/2008 13:36:31] DogFace says: Yup... also, Netherlands play in orange.
[17/06/2008 13:37:14] DogFace says: Romania need a win - a draw could take them through.
[17/06/2008 13:37:21] dhjackal says: could
[17/06/2008 13:37:24] DogFace says: But only if Italy & France draw.
[17/06/2008 13:37:29] dhjackal says: which they might
[17/06/2008 13:37:38] DogFace says: Where as Netherlands have finished top win/lose/draw...
[17/06/2008 13:37:52] DogFace says: ...so I doubt that they'll be up for a battle.
[17/06/2008 13:38:46] dhjackal says: probably
[17/06/2008 13:39:47] DogFace says: Fuck... I reckon Romania have to do it!
[17/06/2008 13:40:21] dhjackal says: you might be right
[17/06/2008 13:40:23] DogFace says: It's up for grabs!
[17/06/2008 13:41:09] DogFace says: Those boys will be thinking - if we do this then some EPL team might want to pay up 50k a week!
[17/06/2008 13:41:40] DogFace says: Which is better than their current salary of half a pig and a box of carrots.
[17/06/2008 13:45:04] dhjackal says: Mmmm pig
[17/06/2008 14:13:06] DogFace says: Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is furious with Manchester United's fixture list for 2008/09 as his side face away trips after all six Champions League group games.
[17/06/2008 14:13:31] dhjackal says: it's always the same
[17/06/2008 14:13:41] dhjackal says: we get screwed every season
[17/06/2008 14:13:47] DogFace says: HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!
[17/06/2008 14:13:52] dhjackal says: BUT
[17/06/2008 14:14:00] DogFace says: that's the funniest thing I ever heard!
[17/06/2008 14:14:01] dhjackal says: we'll still win
[17/06/2008 14:14:05] DogFace says: (rofl)
[17/06/2008 14:14:12] DogFace says: "we get screwed every season"
[17/06/2008 14:14:13] dhjackal says: against all the odds
[17/06/2008 14:14:18] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[17/06/2008 14:14:24] DogFace says: Mate - you don't know you're born!
[17/06/2008 14:14:26] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:33] dhjackal says: your right
[17/06/2008 14:14:36] dhjackal says: (party)
[17/06/2008 14:14:39] dhjackal says: (dance)
[17/06/2008 14:14:43] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:44] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:45] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:46] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:46] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:53] DogFace says: (finger)
Hang on – what the fuck am I on about... this is a football blog!??! Nothing gets me shouting at the telly more than adverts, documentaries and football.
Right, so, I gave rubbish tips yesterday – I admit... but what about tonight? Let's check out the group:
Group C P GD PTS
1 Netherlands 2 6 6
2 Romania 2 0 2
3 France 2 -3 1
4 Italy 2 -3 1
This is interesting... Romania just needs to beat a team that have already qualified top to go through! My, my, my... where as there is a 'Grudge Match' replay of the world cup final happening at the same time!
France v Italy @ Zurich
Hmm, avoid this match or roll the dice – France I reckon... even though they're bonkers, I'd like to see Henry score... it won't matter though because:
Netherlands v Romania @ Berne
Romania all the way baby – COME ON ROMANIA! Go on Netherlands – give 'em a chance... RvP to start maybe?
Now... what game should I watch?
[17/06/2008 13:34:17] DogFace says: Who for tonight?
[17/06/2008 13:34:32] DogFace says: France/Italy & Netherlands/Romania
[17/06/2008 13:35:12] dhjackal says: tough one tonight
[17/06/2008 13:35:19] DogFace says: I agree...
[17/06/2008 13:35:26] dhjackal says: i'm staying away
[17/06/2008 13:35:27] DogFace says: France & Romania?
[17/06/2008 13:35:52] dhjackal says: France have the best National anthem
[17/06/2008 13:36:03] DogFace says: Yeah - it's good.
[17/06/2008 13:36:19] dhjackal says: for a bunch of surrender monkeys
[17/06/2008 13:36:31] DogFace says: Yup... also, Netherlands play in orange.
[17/06/2008 13:37:14] DogFace says: Romania need a win - a draw could take them through.
[17/06/2008 13:37:21] dhjackal says: could
[17/06/2008 13:37:24] DogFace says: But only if Italy & France draw.
[17/06/2008 13:37:29] dhjackal says: which they might
[17/06/2008 13:37:38] DogFace says: Where as Netherlands have finished top win/lose/draw...
[17/06/2008 13:37:52] DogFace says: ...so I doubt that they'll be up for a battle.
[17/06/2008 13:38:46] dhjackal says: probably
[17/06/2008 13:39:47] DogFace says: Fuck... I reckon Romania have to do it!
[17/06/2008 13:40:21] dhjackal says: you might be right
[17/06/2008 13:40:23] DogFace says: It's up for grabs!
[17/06/2008 13:41:09] DogFace says: Those boys will be thinking - if we do this then some EPL team might want to pay up 50k a week!
[17/06/2008 13:41:40] DogFace says: Which is better than their current salary of half a pig and a box of carrots.
[17/06/2008 13:45:04] dhjackal says: Mmmm pig
[17/06/2008 14:13:06] DogFace says: Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is furious with Manchester United's fixture list for 2008/09 as his side face away trips after all six Champions League group games.
[17/06/2008 14:13:31] dhjackal says: it's always the same
[17/06/2008 14:13:41] dhjackal says: we get screwed every season
[17/06/2008 14:13:47] DogFace says: HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!
[17/06/2008 14:13:52] dhjackal says: BUT
[17/06/2008 14:14:00] DogFace says: that's the funniest thing I ever heard!
[17/06/2008 14:14:01] dhjackal says: we'll still win
[17/06/2008 14:14:05] DogFace says: (rofl)
[17/06/2008 14:14:12] DogFace says: "we get screwed every season"
[17/06/2008 14:14:13] dhjackal says: against all the odds
[17/06/2008 14:14:18] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[17/06/2008 14:14:24] DogFace says: Mate - you don't know you're born!
[17/06/2008 14:14:26] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:33] dhjackal says: your right
[17/06/2008 14:14:36] dhjackal says: (party)
[17/06/2008 14:14:39] dhjackal says: (dance)
[17/06/2008 14:14:43] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:44] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:45] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:46] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:46] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[17/06/2008 14:14:53] DogFace says: (finger)
Monday, 2 June 2008
Things are going to slide, slide in all directions
Is it really only June - man; I'm so bored, when is the season going to start again..?
There’s always Euro 2008 – but, well – I’ve never really enjoyed that competition since 1996. That was the last time I thought we were really in with a shout. Since then it’s always been inevitable that we wouldn’t win – and now we aren’t even in it and even if we were, we still wouldn’t win it.
Talking of which, I actually met Terry Venables shortly after Euro 96 in the infamous Scribes night club. This bloke I knew was a sports psychologist for the England team (he advised against the Southgate penalty) and got us in... Gazza was passed out in a sink full of sick in the bogs; I walked passed him and sidled up to the adjacent urinal to El Tel, whipped it out and as my lager fuelled stream hit the porcelain; I told him he had a nice place and that he gave the nation back some hope in the game with Euro 96.
(I was pissed)
He said that hearing that sort of thing from the members of the public made it all worth while.
(He was pissed)
He shook his old fellah off, zipped it up, washed off his hands in the sink next to the mumbling Gazza and left him there like it was the most normal thing in the world.
...That’s what playing for Spurs does for you I suppose...
When I got out, after gingerly poking Gazza a few times to try and wake him up, he was up on the karaoke machine singing ‘That Old Black Magic’. I followed it up with ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and blew him off the stage.
Take that El Tel you Tottenham scumbag!
I wonder what ever happened to Gazza... and what is it with footballers and addiction? Does it come with the pressure of fame or do they just have the compultion to excel in whatever they are good at... be that playing football, drinking away their lives or gambling away their financial security?
It's not all glamour.
[30/05/2008 13:49:04] dhjackal says: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7427380.stm
[30/05/2008 13:49:10] dhjackal says: they're fucked
[30/05/2008 13:49:28] dhjackal says: he's their best player
[30/05/2008 13:49:39] DogFace says: They were fucked the second Thaskin took over.
[30/05/2008 13:49:56] DogFace says: Relegation next season?
[30/05/2008 13:50:07] dhjackal says: no
[30/05/2008 13:50:10] dhjackal says: unfortunately
[30/05/2008 13:50:22] dhjackal says: the 3 teams coming up are going straight back down
[30/05/2008 13:50:30] DogFace says: No manager, no captain and a loony at the wheel?
[30/05/2008 13:50:48] dhjackal says: still better than stoke, west brom and hull
[30/05/2008 13:51:10] DogFace says: Come on - West Brom would give them a run :)
[30/05/2008 13:51:19] dhjackal says: Mmmm
[30/05/2008 13:51:55] DogFace says: It depends on what happens to Thaskin - if he gets into shit in Thailand then they are fucked.
[30/05/2008 13:52:28] DogFace says: If Air Asia stops sponsoring the refs then they are fucked.
[30/05/2008 13:52:42] DogFace says: So - they are on shaky ground.
[30/05/2008 13:53:23] DogFace says: I would hate to be a City fan.
[30/05/2008 13:54:21] DogFace says: Are you selling Ronaldo then?
[30/05/2008 13:55:31] dhjackal says: no
[30/05/2008 13:55:35] DogFace says: I would for the cash that's on offer... he’s not worth that much - unless you can get more out of him through ‘media rights’?
[30/05/2008 13:55:40] DogFace says: ...shirt sales...
[30/05/2008 13:55:43] DogFace says: etc.
[30/05/2008 13:55:50] dhjackal says: typical Arsenal mentality
[30/05/2008 13:56:03] dhjackal says: got a good player
[30/05/2008 13:56:06] dhjackal says: i know
[30/05/2008 13:56:08] dhjackal says: sell him
[30/05/2008 13:56:14] DogFace says: That's exactly what we DON'T do.
[30/05/2008 13:56:31] dhjackal says: No?
[30/05/2008 13:56:35] DogFace says: Although some players are greedy and chase the $.
[30/05/2008 13:57:33] dhjackal says: A job's a job
[30/05/2008 13:57:44] dhjackal says: if your employer isn't prepared to pay you enough
[30/05/2008 13:57:48] dhjackal says: you leave
[30/05/2008 13:57:51] dhjackal says: like most things
[30/05/2008 13:57:56] DogFace says: Typical Man-u mentality!
[30/05/2008 13:58:05] dhjackal says: fortunately we can compete at every level
[30/05/2008 13:58:12] dhjackal says: both on and off the pitch
[30/05/2008 13:58:13] DogFace says: A vocation and a job are different things.
[30/05/2008 13:58:29] DogFace says: You spend - yes, I'll give you that.
[30/05/2008 13:58:35] DogFace says: money, money, money
[30/05/2008 13:58:43] DogFace says: ...but is it sport?
[30/05/2008 13:58:53] DogFace says: :^)
[30/05/2008 13:58:57] dhjackal says: isn't it sport?
[30/05/2008 13:59:01] DogFace says: Not really
[30/05/2008 13:59:03] dhjackal says: no?
[30/05/2008 13:59:08] DogFace says: Hmmm...
[30/05/2008 13:59:09] DogFace says: ...no.
[30/05/2008 13:59:10] dhjackal says: only cos you can't compete
[30/05/2008 13:59:13] DogFace says: hahah
[30/05/2008 13:59:25] DogFace says: *whatever*
[30/05/2008 13:59:32] dhjackal says: champions
[30/05/2008 13:59:38] dhjackal says: champions of europe
[30/05/2008 13:59:45] dhjackal says: U
[30/05/2008 13:59:47] dhjackal says: N
[30/05/2008 13:59:47] dhjackal says: T
[30/05/2008 13:59:48] dhjackal says: I
[30/05/2008 13:59:48] dhjackal says: E
[30/05/2008 13:59:50] dhjackal says: D
[30/05/2008 14:00:08] dhjackal says: We won the league by being better than everyone else
[30/05/2008 14:00:23] DogFace says: Sport has rules that are followed otherwise you are disqualified.
[30/05/2008 14:00:23] dhjackal says: you didn't
[30/05/2008 14:00:24] dhjackal says: cos your not
[30/05/2008 14:00:51] DogFace says: Your team cheated because they are too shit to win a competition by the rules.
[30/05/2008 14:01:07] dhjackal says: now now
[30/05/2008 14:01:10] DogFace says: It’s more business than sport.
[30/05/2008 14:01:15] dhjackal says: C
[30/05/2008 14:01:16] DogFace says: C
[30/05/2008 14:01:17] dhjackal says: H
[30/05/2008 14:01:18] DogFace says: H
[30/05/2008 14:01:18] dhjackal says: A
[30/05/2008 14:01:19] DogFace says: E
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] dhjackal says: M
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] DogFace says: A
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] dhjackal says: P
[30/05/2008 14:01:21] DogFace says: T
[30/05/2008 14:01:21] dhjackal says: I
[30/05/2008 14:01:22] DogFace says: S
[30/05/2008 14:01:22] dhjackal says: O
[30/05/2008 14:01:23] dhjackal says: N
[30/05/2008 14:01:25] dhjackal says: S
[30/05/2008 14:01:50] dhjackal says: I seem to remember Pires diving every time someone touched him
[30/05/2008 14:01:54] dhjackal says: and cole
[30/05/2008 14:01:58] DogFace says: You have nothing to gloat about - nobody believes it anymore.
[30/05/2008 14:01:59] dhjackal says: and you talk about us cheating
[30/05/2008 14:02:06] DogFace says: ha ha ha
[30/05/2008 14:02:13] DogFace says: Is that what you call cheating?
[30/05/2008 14:02:13] dhjackal says: pot and kettle
[30/05/2008 14:02:17] DogFace says: HA – Seriously?
[30/05/2008 14:02:27] DogFace says: Is that what you call cheating?
[30/05/2008 14:02:27] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:33] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:34] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:35] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:37] DogFace says: You ‘influence’ the officials – hardly the same as taking a dive... by the way – how many penalties did you get this season?
[30/05/2008 14:02:40] dhjackal says: get used to hearing it
[30/05/2008 14:02:45] DogFace says: That's proper cheating!
[30/05/2008 14:02:51] dhjackal says: we'll be singing it at the airport soon
[30/05/2008 14:03:11] DogFace says: Why don't you all wank each other off at the same time?
[30/05/2008 14:03:23] DogFace says: ...because nobody else gives a shit.
[30/05/2008 14:03:29] dhjackal says: correction
[30/05/2008 14:03:35] dhjackal says: everyone else gives a shit
[30/05/2008 14:03:40] DogFace says: Really?
[30/05/2008 14:03:41] dhjackal says: including you
[30/05/2008 14:03:45] DogFace says: Not really.
[30/05/2008 14:03:47] dhjackal says: you just like to think you don't
[30/05/2008 14:03:52] dhjackal says: but you do
[30/05/2008 14:03:59] DogFace says: I give a shit that you are so deluded that you think I give a shit... is that the same thing?
[30/05/2008 14:04:04] dhjackal says: otw you wouldn't bother renewing you ST
[30/05/2008 14:04:11] DogFace says: And I give a shit about corruption in the game... what’s me renewing my season ticket got to do with your murky operation?
[30/05/2008 14:04:22] dhjackal says: yadda yadda yadda
[30/05/2008 14:04:25] dhjackal says: rant rant
[30/05/2008 14:04:27] DogFace says: Do I give a shit about man-u buying a trophy or two..?
[30/05/2008 14:04:28] DogFace says: ...no.
[30/05/2008 14:04:31] dhjackal says: we've been robbed
[30/05/2008 14:04:38] dhjackal says: we've been robbed again
[30/05/2008 14:04:43] dhjackal says: we were the best team
[30/05/2008 14:04:46] DogFace says: You give a shit that I don't believe and, it seems, that we play better football that you.
[30/05/2008 14:04:48] dhjackal says: yawn
[30/05/2008 14:04:55] DogFace says: ha ha
[30/05/2008 14:05:07] dhjackal says: -)
[30/05/2008 14:05:14] DogFace says: Now you know how everyone else feels when a man-u fan opens his mouth!
[30/05/2008 14:05:47] DogFace says: quite apt though... as you do need to wake up.
[30/05/2008 14:06:30] dhjackal says: (yawn)
[30/05/2008 14:07:41] DogFace says: Truth hurts?
[30/05/2008 14:12:37] DogFace says: Hey, check it out: One of England's most popular footballers - a Premier League star and England international - owes a staggering £1m in gambling debts. (Daily Express)
[30/05/2008 14:12:47] DogFace says: Hmmm....
[30/05/2008 14:12:52] DogFace says: ...wonder who that is?
[30/05/2008 14:13:35] dhjackal says: Owen?
[30/05/2008 14:14:10] DogFace says: Nah - he's too wiley.
[30/05/2008 14:14:51] DogFace says: Rooney?
[30/05/2008 14:15:43] dhjackal says: whatever
[30/05/2008 14:15:53] DogFace says: We all know he likes a flutter!
[30/05/2008 14:16:07] dhjackal says: so do 99.9% of other football players
[30/05/2008 14:16:08] DogFace says: He probably owes it to Owen (rofl)
[30/05/2008 14:16:40] DogFace says: Ahhh... "so do 99.9% of other football players" - the figure isn't that high but you are on the right track.
[30/05/2008 14:17:10] DogFace says: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/46184/England-star-owes-bookies-1million
[30/05/2008 14:18:00] DogFace says: “Both names have been leaked to the Daily Express, together with a firm proviso that neither player is identified until bookies are given one more chance to retrieve their debts.”
[30/05/2008 14:18:15] dhjackal says: anyway it's up to them how they spend they're hard earned
[30/05/2008 14:18:23] DogFace says: WTF - I think the paper should just fucking report it if they know... rather than being the bookies heavies.
[30/05/2008 14:19:16] DogFace says: Actually - I don't think that they are allowed to bet on EPL games.
[30/05/2008 14:19:42] DogFace says: "he has splashed out on crucial games in both the Premier League and the Champions League"
[30/05/2008 14:21:16] DogFace says: Shame it wasn't mid season - otherwise he could have just 'got himself sent off' or scored an own goal or something similar.
[30/05/2008 14:21:42] DogFace says: If England were in the European Championships I bet the bookies would be his best mate rather than threatening to out him!
[30/05/2008 14:22:17] dhjackal says: maybe
[30/05/2008 14:23:16] DogFace says: “All I’m prepared to say is that I’m aware of one bookmaker who has taken big bets from both these players. One of them owes a lot of money – around £1m. Maybe a bookmaker will end up taking him to Tattersalls Committee, who settle horse-racing betting disputes of this nature.
“I’d be disappointed to see it going that far, as he’s such a big name in football, and it could cause him no end of problems.
“The other player owes in the region of £100,000, but he’s also proving difficult to pin down.”
[30/05/2008 14:23:33] DogFace says: man - this is a big story! Why isn't it all over all the papers?
[30/05/2008 14:24:32] DogFace says: All we got is shit about John Terry being really fabulous and brave and... whatever.
[30/05/2008 14:27:08] dhjackal says: they're both shit stories
[30/05/2008 14:27:19] dhjackal says: John Terry is a whinging cunt
[30/05/2008 14:27:35] dhjackal says: and this one about the player owning money is just rubbish
[30/05/2008 14:27:41] dhjackal says: i could have made it up
[30/05/2008 14:30:48] DogFace says: Anyone could have made it up as it's so likely to be true... if anything I reckon that half a dozen players owe this much and this is an effort to scare the lot into coughing up.
[30/05/2008 14:31:19] dhjackal says: maybe
[30/05/2008 14:31:36] dhjackal says: it'll only take him 10 weeks to pay it
[30/05/2008 14:32:21] DogFace says: Well - there is tax to be taken into consideration and the funding of whatever lifestyles they choose to lead...
[30/05/2008 14:33:17] DogFace says: ...if owed 3 months wages to the bookies then I would have to concede that I had a problem.
[30/05/2008 14:35:09] DogFace says: Actually - if I owed a day’s wages to the bookies then I would be taking a long hard look at my gambling habits.
There’s always Euro 2008 – but, well – I’ve never really enjoyed that competition since 1996. That was the last time I thought we were really in with a shout. Since then it’s always been inevitable that we wouldn’t win – and now we aren’t even in it and even if we were, we still wouldn’t win it.
Talking of which, I actually met Terry Venables shortly after Euro 96 in the infamous Scribes night club. This bloke I knew was a sports psychologist for the England team (he advised against the Southgate penalty) and got us in... Gazza was passed out in a sink full of sick in the bogs; I walked passed him and sidled up to the adjacent urinal to El Tel, whipped it out and as my lager fuelled stream hit the porcelain; I told him he had a nice place and that he gave the nation back some hope in the game with Euro 96.
(I was pissed)
He said that hearing that sort of thing from the members of the public made it all worth while.
(He was pissed)
He shook his old fellah off, zipped it up, washed off his hands in the sink next to the mumbling Gazza and left him there like it was the most normal thing in the world.
...That’s what playing for Spurs does for you I suppose...
When I got out, after gingerly poking Gazza a few times to try and wake him up, he was up on the karaoke machine singing ‘That Old Black Magic’. I followed it up with ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and blew him off the stage.
Take that El Tel you Tottenham scumbag!
I wonder what ever happened to Gazza... and what is it with footballers and addiction? Does it come with the pressure of fame or do they just have the compultion to excel in whatever they are good at... be that playing football, drinking away their lives or gambling away their financial security?
It's not all glamour.
[30/05/2008 13:49:04] dhjackal says: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7427380.stm
[30/05/2008 13:49:10] dhjackal says: they're fucked
[30/05/2008 13:49:28] dhjackal says: he's their best player
[30/05/2008 13:49:39] DogFace says: They were fucked the second Thaskin took over.
[30/05/2008 13:49:56] DogFace says: Relegation next season?
[30/05/2008 13:50:07] dhjackal says: no
[30/05/2008 13:50:10] dhjackal says: unfortunately
[30/05/2008 13:50:22] dhjackal says: the 3 teams coming up are going straight back down
[30/05/2008 13:50:30] DogFace says: No manager, no captain and a loony at the wheel?
[30/05/2008 13:50:48] dhjackal says: still better than stoke, west brom and hull
[30/05/2008 13:51:10] DogFace says: Come on - West Brom would give them a run :)
[30/05/2008 13:51:19] dhjackal says: Mmmm
[30/05/2008 13:51:55] DogFace says: It depends on what happens to Thaskin - if he gets into shit in Thailand then they are fucked.
[30/05/2008 13:52:28] DogFace says: If Air Asia stops sponsoring the refs then they are fucked.
[30/05/2008 13:52:42] DogFace says: So - they are on shaky ground.
[30/05/2008 13:53:23] DogFace says: I would hate to be a City fan.
[30/05/2008 13:54:21] DogFace says: Are you selling Ronaldo then?
[30/05/2008 13:55:31] dhjackal says: no
[30/05/2008 13:55:35] DogFace says: I would for the cash that's on offer... he’s not worth that much - unless you can get more out of him through ‘media rights’?
[30/05/2008 13:55:40] DogFace says: ...shirt sales...
[30/05/2008 13:55:43] DogFace says: etc.
[30/05/2008 13:55:50] dhjackal says: typical Arsenal mentality
[30/05/2008 13:56:03] dhjackal says: got a good player
[30/05/2008 13:56:06] dhjackal says: i know
[30/05/2008 13:56:08] dhjackal says: sell him
[30/05/2008 13:56:14] DogFace says: That's exactly what we DON'T do.
[30/05/2008 13:56:31] dhjackal says: No?
[30/05/2008 13:56:35] DogFace says: Although some players are greedy and chase the $.
[30/05/2008 13:57:33] dhjackal says: A job's a job
[30/05/2008 13:57:44] dhjackal says: if your employer isn't prepared to pay you enough
[30/05/2008 13:57:48] dhjackal says: you leave
[30/05/2008 13:57:51] dhjackal says: like most things
[30/05/2008 13:57:56] DogFace says: Typical Man-u mentality!
[30/05/2008 13:58:05] dhjackal says: fortunately we can compete at every level
[30/05/2008 13:58:12] dhjackal says: both on and off the pitch
[30/05/2008 13:58:13] DogFace says: A vocation and a job are different things.
[30/05/2008 13:58:29] DogFace says: You spend - yes, I'll give you that.
[30/05/2008 13:58:35] DogFace says: money, money, money
[30/05/2008 13:58:43] DogFace says: ...but is it sport?
[30/05/2008 13:58:53] DogFace says: :^)
[30/05/2008 13:58:57] dhjackal says: isn't it sport?
[30/05/2008 13:59:01] DogFace says: Not really
[30/05/2008 13:59:03] dhjackal says: no?
[30/05/2008 13:59:08] DogFace says: Hmmm...
[30/05/2008 13:59:09] DogFace says: ...no.
[30/05/2008 13:59:10] dhjackal says: only cos you can't compete
[30/05/2008 13:59:13] DogFace says: hahah
[30/05/2008 13:59:25] DogFace says: *whatever*
[30/05/2008 13:59:32] dhjackal says: champions
[30/05/2008 13:59:38] dhjackal says: champions of europe
[30/05/2008 13:59:45] dhjackal says: U
[30/05/2008 13:59:47] dhjackal says: N
[30/05/2008 13:59:47] dhjackal says: T
[30/05/2008 13:59:48] dhjackal says: I
[30/05/2008 13:59:48] dhjackal says: E
[30/05/2008 13:59:50] dhjackal says: D
[30/05/2008 14:00:08] dhjackal says: We won the league by being better than everyone else
[30/05/2008 14:00:23] DogFace says: Sport has rules that are followed otherwise you are disqualified.
[30/05/2008 14:00:23] dhjackal says: you didn't
[30/05/2008 14:00:24] dhjackal says: cos your not
[30/05/2008 14:00:51] DogFace says: Your team cheated because they are too shit to win a competition by the rules.
[30/05/2008 14:01:07] dhjackal says: now now
[30/05/2008 14:01:10] DogFace says: It’s more business than sport.
[30/05/2008 14:01:15] dhjackal says: C
[30/05/2008 14:01:16] DogFace says: C
[30/05/2008 14:01:17] dhjackal says: H
[30/05/2008 14:01:18] DogFace says: H
[30/05/2008 14:01:18] dhjackal says: A
[30/05/2008 14:01:19] DogFace says: E
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] dhjackal says: M
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] DogFace says: A
[30/05/2008 14:01:20] dhjackal says: P
[30/05/2008 14:01:21] DogFace says: T
[30/05/2008 14:01:21] dhjackal says: I
[30/05/2008 14:01:22] DogFace says: S
[30/05/2008 14:01:22] dhjackal says: O
[30/05/2008 14:01:23] dhjackal says: N
[30/05/2008 14:01:25] dhjackal says: S
[30/05/2008 14:01:50] dhjackal says: I seem to remember Pires diving every time someone touched him
[30/05/2008 14:01:54] dhjackal says: and cole
[30/05/2008 14:01:58] DogFace says: You have nothing to gloat about - nobody believes it anymore.
[30/05/2008 14:01:59] dhjackal says: and you talk about us cheating
[30/05/2008 14:02:06] DogFace says: ha ha ha
[30/05/2008 14:02:13] DogFace says: Is that what you call cheating?
[30/05/2008 14:02:13] dhjackal says: pot and kettle
[30/05/2008 14:02:17] DogFace says: HA – Seriously?
[30/05/2008 14:02:27] DogFace says: Is that what you call cheating?
[30/05/2008 14:02:27] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:33] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:34] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:35] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[30/05/2008 14:02:37] DogFace says: You ‘influence’ the officials – hardly the same as taking a dive... by the way – how many penalties did you get this season?
[30/05/2008 14:02:40] dhjackal says: get used to hearing it
[30/05/2008 14:02:45] DogFace says: That's proper cheating!
[30/05/2008 14:02:51] dhjackal says: we'll be singing it at the airport soon
[30/05/2008 14:03:11] DogFace says: Why don't you all wank each other off at the same time?
[30/05/2008 14:03:23] DogFace says: ...because nobody else gives a shit.
[30/05/2008 14:03:29] dhjackal says: correction
[30/05/2008 14:03:35] dhjackal says: everyone else gives a shit
[30/05/2008 14:03:40] DogFace says: Really?
[30/05/2008 14:03:41] dhjackal says: including you
[30/05/2008 14:03:45] DogFace says: Not really.
[30/05/2008 14:03:47] dhjackal says: you just like to think you don't
[30/05/2008 14:03:52] dhjackal says: but you do
[30/05/2008 14:03:59] DogFace says: I give a shit that you are so deluded that you think I give a shit... is that the same thing?
[30/05/2008 14:04:04] dhjackal says: otw you wouldn't bother renewing you ST
[30/05/2008 14:04:11] DogFace says: And I give a shit about corruption in the game... what’s me renewing my season ticket got to do with your murky operation?
[30/05/2008 14:04:22] dhjackal says: yadda yadda yadda
[30/05/2008 14:04:25] dhjackal says: rant rant
[30/05/2008 14:04:27] DogFace says: Do I give a shit about man-u buying a trophy or two..?
[30/05/2008 14:04:28] DogFace says: ...no.
[30/05/2008 14:04:31] dhjackal says: we've been robbed
[30/05/2008 14:04:38] dhjackal says: we've been robbed again
[30/05/2008 14:04:43] dhjackal says: we were the best team
[30/05/2008 14:04:46] DogFace says: You give a shit that I don't believe and, it seems, that we play better football that you.
[30/05/2008 14:04:48] dhjackal says: yawn
[30/05/2008 14:04:55] DogFace says: ha ha
[30/05/2008 14:05:07] dhjackal says: -)
[30/05/2008 14:05:14] DogFace says: Now you know how everyone else feels when a man-u fan opens his mouth!
[30/05/2008 14:05:47] DogFace says: quite apt though... as you do need to wake up.
[30/05/2008 14:06:30] dhjackal says: (yawn)
[30/05/2008 14:07:41] DogFace says: Truth hurts?
[30/05/2008 14:12:37] DogFace says: Hey, check it out: One of England's most popular footballers - a Premier League star and England international - owes a staggering £1m in gambling debts. (Daily Express)
[30/05/2008 14:12:47] DogFace says: Hmmm....
[30/05/2008 14:12:52] DogFace says: ...wonder who that is?
[30/05/2008 14:13:35] dhjackal says: Owen?
[30/05/2008 14:14:10] DogFace says: Nah - he's too wiley.
[30/05/2008 14:14:51] DogFace says: Rooney?
[30/05/2008 14:15:43] dhjackal says: whatever
[30/05/2008 14:15:53] DogFace says: We all know he likes a flutter!
[30/05/2008 14:16:07] dhjackal says: so do 99.9% of other football players
[30/05/2008 14:16:08] DogFace says: He probably owes it to Owen (rofl)
[30/05/2008 14:16:40] DogFace says: Ahhh... "so do 99.9% of other football players" - the figure isn't that high but you are on the right track.
[30/05/2008 14:17:10] DogFace says: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/46184/England-star-owes-bookies-1million
[30/05/2008 14:18:00] DogFace says: “Both names have been leaked to the Daily Express, together with a firm proviso that neither player is identified until bookies are given one more chance to retrieve their debts.”
[30/05/2008 14:18:15] dhjackal says: anyway it's up to them how they spend they're hard earned
[30/05/2008 14:18:23] DogFace says: WTF - I think the paper should just fucking report it if they know... rather than being the bookies heavies.
[30/05/2008 14:19:16] DogFace says: Actually - I don't think that they are allowed to bet on EPL games.
[30/05/2008 14:19:42] DogFace says: "he has splashed out on crucial games in both the Premier League and the Champions League"
[30/05/2008 14:21:16] DogFace says: Shame it wasn't mid season - otherwise he could have just 'got himself sent off' or scored an own goal or something similar.
[30/05/2008 14:21:42] DogFace says: If England were in the European Championships I bet the bookies would be his best mate rather than threatening to out him!
[30/05/2008 14:22:17] dhjackal says: maybe
[30/05/2008 14:23:16] DogFace says: “All I’m prepared to say is that I’m aware of one bookmaker who has taken big bets from both these players. One of them owes a lot of money – around £1m. Maybe a bookmaker will end up taking him to Tattersalls Committee, who settle horse-racing betting disputes of this nature.
“I’d be disappointed to see it going that far, as he’s such a big name in football, and it could cause him no end of problems.
“The other player owes in the region of £100,000, but he’s also proving difficult to pin down.”
[30/05/2008 14:23:33] DogFace says: man - this is a big story! Why isn't it all over all the papers?
[30/05/2008 14:24:32] DogFace says: All we got is shit about John Terry being really fabulous and brave and... whatever.
[30/05/2008 14:27:08] dhjackal says: they're both shit stories
[30/05/2008 14:27:19] dhjackal says: John Terry is a whinging cunt
[30/05/2008 14:27:35] dhjackal says: and this one about the player owning money is just rubbish
[30/05/2008 14:27:41] dhjackal says: i could have made it up
[30/05/2008 14:30:48] DogFace says: Anyone could have made it up as it's so likely to be true... if anything I reckon that half a dozen players owe this much and this is an effort to scare the lot into coughing up.
[30/05/2008 14:31:19] dhjackal says: maybe
[30/05/2008 14:31:36] dhjackal says: it'll only take him 10 weeks to pay it
[30/05/2008 14:32:21] DogFace says: Well - there is tax to be taken into consideration and the funding of whatever lifestyles they choose to lead...
[30/05/2008 14:33:17] DogFace says: ...if owed 3 months wages to the bookies then I would have to concede that I had a problem.
[30/05/2008 14:35:09] DogFace says: Actually - if I owed a day’s wages to the bookies then I would be taking a long hard look at my gambling habits.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
America is not the world
There was a bizarre moment of clarity from talking head #1 at the start of last night’s commentary on the ‘friendly’ between England and the USA:
"We'll be watching this referee very carefully as he'll be officiating in the European championship and will be under instruction from UEFA as to his decision making"
I couldn’t agree more... sadly it was all downhill from there as talking head #1 and talking head #2 came out with such bizarre statements as:
“America are really looking comfortable here and they can be proud of the way they are playing”
Were they high?
“See with your eyes, touch with your hands, please
Hear through your ears, know in your soul, please.” - Morrissey
They, USA, were clearly ‘not very good’ and England couldn’t be arsed. Ignore these fuckers - this was a turd of a match and, as we all know, you can’t polish a turd. The one moment of class came from Beckham’s free kick which smacked John Terry in the side of his coconut head before it went in. The commentators then spoiled it by engaging in some mutual masturbation about how ‘the great John Terry was back’ and how, obviously, missing the penalty in the champions’ league final didn’t affect him as he ‘purposefully powered it home’. If truth be told – the delivery was so good that you could have stuck a lamp post there (or a coconut on a stick) and it still would have gone in... but – it made for a nice excuse for some interweaving ‘human interest’ monologues to overshadow a moment of skill in an otherwise dreary game... I bet the talking heads, whilst shuffling their sheets of pre-rehearsed platitudes, could not believe their luck.
Talking of which; I was left with the feeling that I should have got on Terry to score first – the odds were fantastic – I know as my mouse pointer momentarily hovered over the Betfair button before I thought: “Nah – fairytale bollocks, ain’t never gonna happen”. I, instead, went for £2 on: Correct Score = 2-1... win some – lose some, but it kept me semi-interested until the final whistle.
The other bizarre thing about last nights game was, given that it was a friendly, why play the established players who were clearly tired from the season and absolutely unenthused as to selection now that England wouldn’t be playing in the European championships? This combined with sticking 18 fully kitted out substitutes on the bench made me wonder; just what the hell was Capello up to? Was this ‘mind games’ for the players i.e. ‘nobody’s position is safe in this team’ (to established players) Vs ‘you may have a chance to impress’ (to un-established players)?
Fuck knows – all I know is that I groaned when Capello took Defoe off and stuck Crouch on... ok – so, he’s not played a lot of football this season but still... Crouch – who bloody cares!? Did we suddenly run out of attacking options? Was the USA’s defence so good that we had to sling on the freak? Eh?
I should point out that this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he always seems to score against us – honest – the lanky, cheaty bastard.
I would have liked to have seen this, and Sundays match, as an opportunity to blood in the youth of the squad against some second rate opposition who were clearly up for a game i.e. up for it in a way that they might be spotted by a Premiership club. That way it might have been a constructive and entertaining experience. Who cares if we win or not – this is a ‘friendly’ remember?!
Mind you – Wembley is a big stadium and I doubt that you could fill it with something as un-spectacular as a constructive and entertaining football match. Oh contraire – what is required is (half arsed) celebrities acting out an assured victory – after all, that’s what sells £8 hamburgers and plants 71,233 bums on seats these days...
The talking heads eventually concluded that the ref was “a bit whistle happy” – oh well, I’m glad someone was.
Meanwhile, slightly off subject, another Terry, Terry Wogan, has threatened to quit the Eurovison song contest. Wogan has shown a guiding light to commentators everywhere by having an actual opinion:
"I think the British music industry and the BBC really have to look at this and see how they can avoid this yearly debacle. At the very beginning of the year I said Russia would win for political reasons and they did."
This raises a question: was the Eurovision song contest ever a serious competition and were any of the songs in it ever any good? And if so; how did it get from that to this?
Hang on a second - Eurovison... Euro 2008...
...Hmmmm...
...This is where football is heading people; welcome to the future!
Subs not used: Hart, Lewis, Warnock, Woodgate, Jagielka, Wheater, Huddlestone, Downing, Young, Ashton, Walcott, Agbonlahor.
[28/05/2008 16:51:49] dhjackal says: Champions of Europe
[28/05/2008 16:51:54] dhjackal says: And England
[28/05/2008 16:52:01] dhjackal says: just in case you were -)
[28/05/2008 16:52:57] DogFace says: So... How's your billion quid of debt doing?
[28/05/2008 16:53:06] dhjackal says: good
[28/05/2008 16:53:15] dhjackal says: anyway it's only £780
[28/05/2008 16:53:21] dhjackal says: million
[28/05/2008 16:53:25] DogFace says: Yeah - £780,000,000 and still spending!
[28/05/2008 16:53:26] dhjackal says: yours?
[28/05/2008 16:53:30] DogFace We are nowhere near that figure...
[28/05/2008 16:53:46] dhjackal says: £340million
[28/05/2008 16:53:51] dhjackal says: not bad
[28/05/2008 16:53:53] dhjackal says: i suppose
[28/05/2008 16:54:04] DogFace says: Yes - at least we got a stadium out of it.
[28/05/2008 16:54:11] dhjackal says: but also no cups
[28/05/2008 16:54:20] DogFace says: The trophies will come... not that they’re going to mean much now.
[28/05/2008 16:54:22] DogFace says: :-(
[28/05/2008 16:54:27] dhjackal says: nice stadium
[28/05/2008 16:54:31] dhjackal says: 17,500 smaller than ours
[28/05/2008 16:54:56] DogFace says: Ha... well - good luck filling it when you're bankrupt!
[28/05/2008 16:55:08] dhjackal says: likesay
[28/05/2008 16:55:21] DogFace says: Not so - our debt is covered.
[28/05/2008 16:55:51] DogFace says: Although Nike/Emirates stiffed us on the shirt sponsorship... but it was necessary to ensure that the debt was covered.
[28/05/2008 16:56:19] DogFace says: Where as your debt is ‘covered’ on projections from Glazer Corp... do you trust him?
[28/05/2008 16:56:25] dhjackal says: yes
[28/05/2008 16:56:38] DogFace says: Ha - really?
[28/05/2008 16:56:42] dhjackal says: since they've took over we've won the league - twice
[28/05/2008 16:56:45] DogFace says: You bought it twice.
[28/05/2008 16:56:47] dhjackal says: the FA cup
[28/05/2008 16:56:49] DogFace says: Who cares.
[28/05/2008 16:56:50] dhjackal says: the league cup
[28/05/2008 16:56:51] DogFace says: Who?
[28/05/2008 16:56:52] dhjackal says: AND
[28/05/2008 16:57:00] dhjackal says: the Champions League
[28/05/2008 16:57:04] dhjackal says: not bad
[28/05/2008 16:57:25] DogFace says: Like I said - it doesn’t mean much these days... which is a shame.
[28/05/2008 16:57:43] dhjackal says: not to you it doesn't
[28/05/2008 16:57:51] dhjackal says: it would if you'd won it
[28/05/2008 16:57:56] dhjackal says: but you didn't
[28/05/2008 16:58:03] dhjackal says: so it means nothing to you
[28/05/2008 16:58:10] DogFace says: OK - so what does it mean to you?
[28/05/2008 16:58:12] dhjackal says: everything
[28/05/2008 16:58:13] DogFace says: It means everything?
[28/05/2008 16:58:17] dhjackal says: we're the best in Europe
[28/05/2008 16:58:20] dhjackal says: and we've proved it
[28/05/2008 16:58:25] DogFace says: Well... you have sold 'everything' - so you get what you pay for I suppose.
[28/05/2008 16:59:22] dhjackal says: would seem so
[28/05/2008 16:59:24] DogFace says: 780 million quid for a few tin cups and shit football... bargain!
[28/05/2008 16:59:31] DogFace says: (chuckle)
[28/05/2008 16:59:48] dhjackal says: so shit football played you off the park 3 times in a season
[28/05/2008 16:59:49] dhjackal says: interesting
[28/05/2008 16:59:53] DogFace says: Oh – ha, ha.
[28/05/2008 16:59:59] DogFace says: We've been over this...
[28/05/2008 17:00:06] DogFace says: ...many, many times – you go and ‘grind out your results’ and we’ll watch some proper sport.
[28/05/2008 17:00:11] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[28/05/2008 17:00:18] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[28/05/2008 17:00:23] dhjackal says: Get in!!!!
[28/05/2008 17:00:24] dhjackal says: (party)
[28/05/2008 17:00:29] DogFace says: What - still? Sorry, I almost forgot.
[28/05/2008 17:00:29] dhjackal says: (dance)
[28/05/2008 17:00:40] dhjackal says: luckily i'm here to remind you
[28/05/2008 17:01:03] DogFace says: Yes... thanks - you are keeping it all in perspective for me.
[28/05/2008 17:01:12] dhjackal says: no problem
[28/05/2008 17:01:25] dhjackal says: i will always be here for you
[28/05/2008 17:02:19] DogFace says: In case I start to demand from my club that we spunk 100 million on a bunch of spoiled brats and cosy up with the bookies - I'll have you to remind me of the pitfalls.
[28/05/2008 17:03:15] dhjackal says: ko
[28/05/2008 17:03:17] dhjackal says: ok
[28/05/2008 17:03:18] dhjackal says: thanks
[28/05/2008 17:03:48] DogFace says: Are you having a parade then? (rofl)
[28/05/2008 17:03:55] dhjackal says: yes
[28/05/2008 17:04:08] DogFace says: Quality!
[28/05/2008 17:04:12] dhjackal says: can't wait
[28/05/2008 17:04:20] dhjackal says: i'll phone you from OT
[28/05/2008 17:04:30] dhjackal says: and send you some pictures
[28/05/2008 17:04:47] DogFace says: Can you take a picture of Rio Ferdinand standing at the front of the bus waving the trophy around with his clip-on tie?
[28/05/2008 17:04:52] DogFace says: I'd like that.
[28/05/2008 17:05:20] dhjackal says: i'll do my best
[28/05/2008 17:05:41] DogFace says: Cheers man (y)
"We'll be watching this referee very carefully as he'll be officiating in the European championship and will be under instruction from UEFA as to his decision making"
I couldn’t agree more... sadly it was all downhill from there as talking head #1 and talking head #2 came out with such bizarre statements as:
“America are really looking comfortable here and they can be proud of the way they are playing”
Were they high?
“See with your eyes, touch with your hands, please
Hear through your ears, know in your soul, please.” - Morrissey
They, USA, were clearly ‘not very good’ and England couldn’t be arsed. Ignore these fuckers - this was a turd of a match and, as we all know, you can’t polish a turd. The one moment of class came from Beckham’s free kick which smacked John Terry in the side of his coconut head before it went in. The commentators then spoiled it by engaging in some mutual masturbation about how ‘the great John Terry was back’ and how, obviously, missing the penalty in the champions’ league final didn’t affect him as he ‘purposefully powered it home’. If truth be told – the delivery was so good that you could have stuck a lamp post there (or a coconut on a stick) and it still would have gone in... but – it made for a nice excuse for some interweaving ‘human interest’ monologues to overshadow a moment of skill in an otherwise dreary game... I bet the talking heads, whilst shuffling their sheets of pre-rehearsed platitudes, could not believe their luck.
Talking of which; I was left with the feeling that I should have got on Terry to score first – the odds were fantastic – I know as my mouse pointer momentarily hovered over the Betfair button before I thought: “Nah – fairytale bollocks, ain’t never gonna happen”. I, instead, went for £2 on: Correct Score = 2-1... win some – lose some, but it kept me semi-interested until the final whistle.
The other bizarre thing about last nights game was, given that it was a friendly, why play the established players who were clearly tired from the season and absolutely unenthused as to selection now that England wouldn’t be playing in the European championships? This combined with sticking 18 fully kitted out substitutes on the bench made me wonder; just what the hell was Capello up to? Was this ‘mind games’ for the players i.e. ‘nobody’s position is safe in this team’ (to established players) Vs ‘you may have a chance to impress’ (to un-established players)?
Fuck knows – all I know is that I groaned when Capello took Defoe off and stuck Crouch on... ok – so, he’s not played a lot of football this season but still... Crouch – who bloody cares!? Did we suddenly run out of attacking options? Was the USA’s defence so good that we had to sling on the freak? Eh?
I should point out that this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he always seems to score against us – honest – the lanky, cheaty bastard.
I would have liked to have seen this, and Sundays match, as an opportunity to blood in the youth of the squad against some second rate opposition who were clearly up for a game i.e. up for it in a way that they might be spotted by a Premiership club. That way it might have been a constructive and entertaining experience. Who cares if we win or not – this is a ‘friendly’ remember?!
Mind you – Wembley is a big stadium and I doubt that you could fill it with something as un-spectacular as a constructive and entertaining football match. Oh contraire – what is required is (half arsed) celebrities acting out an assured victory – after all, that’s what sells £8 hamburgers and plants 71,233 bums on seats these days...
The talking heads eventually concluded that the ref was “a bit whistle happy” – oh well, I’m glad someone was.
Meanwhile, slightly off subject, another Terry, Terry Wogan, has threatened to quit the Eurovison song contest. Wogan has shown a guiding light to commentators everywhere by having an actual opinion:
"I think the British music industry and the BBC really have to look at this and see how they can avoid this yearly debacle. At the very beginning of the year I said Russia would win for political reasons and they did."
This raises a question: was the Eurovision song contest ever a serious competition and were any of the songs in it ever any good? And if so; how did it get from that to this?
Hang on a second - Eurovison... Euro 2008...
...Hmmmm...
...This is where football is heading people; welcome to the future!
Subs not used: Hart, Lewis, Warnock, Woodgate, Jagielka, Wheater, Huddlestone, Downing, Young, Ashton, Walcott, Agbonlahor.
[28/05/2008 16:51:49] dhjackal says: Champions of Europe
[28/05/2008 16:51:54] dhjackal says: And England
[28/05/2008 16:52:01] dhjackal says: just in case you were -)
[28/05/2008 16:52:57] DogFace says: So... How's your billion quid of debt doing?
[28/05/2008 16:53:06] dhjackal says: good
[28/05/2008 16:53:15] dhjackal says: anyway it's only £780
[28/05/2008 16:53:21] dhjackal says: million
[28/05/2008 16:53:25] DogFace says: Yeah - £780,000,000 and still spending!
[28/05/2008 16:53:26] dhjackal says: yours?
[28/05/2008 16:53:30] DogFace We are nowhere near that figure...
[28/05/2008 16:53:46] dhjackal says: £340million
[28/05/2008 16:53:51] dhjackal says: not bad
[28/05/2008 16:53:53] dhjackal says: i suppose
[28/05/2008 16:54:04] DogFace says: Yes - at least we got a stadium out of it.
[28/05/2008 16:54:11] dhjackal says: but also no cups
[28/05/2008 16:54:20] DogFace says: The trophies will come... not that they’re going to mean much now.
[28/05/2008 16:54:22] DogFace says: :-(
[28/05/2008 16:54:27] dhjackal says: nice stadium
[28/05/2008 16:54:31] dhjackal says: 17,500 smaller than ours
[28/05/2008 16:54:56] DogFace says: Ha... well - good luck filling it when you're bankrupt!
[28/05/2008 16:55:08] dhjackal says: likesay
[28/05/2008 16:55:21] DogFace says: Not so - our debt is covered.
[28/05/2008 16:55:51] DogFace says: Although Nike/Emirates stiffed us on the shirt sponsorship... but it was necessary to ensure that the debt was covered.
[28/05/2008 16:56:19] DogFace says: Where as your debt is ‘covered’ on projections from Glazer Corp... do you trust him?
[28/05/2008 16:56:25] dhjackal says: yes
[28/05/2008 16:56:38] DogFace says: Ha - really?
[28/05/2008 16:56:42] dhjackal says: since they've took over we've won the league - twice
[28/05/2008 16:56:45] DogFace says: You bought it twice.
[28/05/2008 16:56:47] dhjackal says: the FA cup
[28/05/2008 16:56:49] DogFace says: Who cares.
[28/05/2008 16:56:50] dhjackal says: the league cup
[28/05/2008 16:56:51] DogFace says: Who?
[28/05/2008 16:56:52] dhjackal says: AND
[28/05/2008 16:57:00] dhjackal says: the Champions League
[28/05/2008 16:57:04] dhjackal says: not bad
[28/05/2008 16:57:25] DogFace says: Like I said - it doesn’t mean much these days... which is a shame.
[28/05/2008 16:57:43] dhjackal says: not to you it doesn't
[28/05/2008 16:57:51] dhjackal says: it would if you'd won it
[28/05/2008 16:57:56] dhjackal says: but you didn't
[28/05/2008 16:58:03] dhjackal says: so it means nothing to you
[28/05/2008 16:58:10] DogFace says: OK - so what does it mean to you?
[28/05/2008 16:58:12] dhjackal says: everything
[28/05/2008 16:58:13] DogFace says: It means everything?
[28/05/2008 16:58:17] dhjackal says: we're the best in Europe
[28/05/2008 16:58:20] dhjackal says: and we've proved it
[28/05/2008 16:58:25] DogFace says: Well... you have sold 'everything' - so you get what you pay for I suppose.
[28/05/2008 16:59:22] dhjackal says: would seem so
[28/05/2008 16:59:24] DogFace says: 780 million quid for a few tin cups and shit football... bargain!
[28/05/2008 16:59:31] DogFace says: (chuckle)
[28/05/2008 16:59:48] dhjackal says: so shit football played you off the park 3 times in a season
[28/05/2008 16:59:49] dhjackal says: interesting
[28/05/2008 16:59:53] DogFace says: Oh – ha, ha.
[28/05/2008 16:59:59] DogFace says: We've been over this...
[28/05/2008 17:00:06] DogFace says: ...many, many times – you go and ‘grind out your results’ and we’ll watch some proper sport.
[28/05/2008 17:00:11] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS
[28/05/2008 17:00:18] dhjackal says: CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
[28/05/2008 17:00:23] dhjackal says: Get in!!!!
[28/05/2008 17:00:24] dhjackal says: (party)
[28/05/2008 17:00:29] DogFace says: What - still? Sorry, I almost forgot.
[28/05/2008 17:00:29] dhjackal says: (dance)
[28/05/2008 17:00:40] dhjackal says: luckily i'm here to remind you
[28/05/2008 17:01:03] DogFace says: Yes... thanks - you are keeping it all in perspective for me.
[28/05/2008 17:01:12] dhjackal says: no problem
[28/05/2008 17:01:25] dhjackal says: i will always be here for you
[28/05/2008 17:02:19] DogFace says: In case I start to demand from my club that we spunk 100 million on a bunch of spoiled brats and cosy up with the bookies - I'll have you to remind me of the pitfalls.
[28/05/2008 17:03:15] dhjackal says: ko
[28/05/2008 17:03:17] dhjackal says: ok
[28/05/2008 17:03:18] dhjackal says: thanks
[28/05/2008 17:03:48] DogFace says: Are you having a parade then? (rofl)
[28/05/2008 17:03:55] dhjackal says: yes
[28/05/2008 17:04:08] DogFace says: Quality!
[28/05/2008 17:04:12] dhjackal says: can't wait
[28/05/2008 17:04:20] dhjackal says: i'll phone you from OT
[28/05/2008 17:04:30] dhjackal says: and send you some pictures
[28/05/2008 17:04:47] DogFace says: Can you take a picture of Rio Ferdinand standing at the front of the bus waving the trophy around with his clip-on tie?
[28/05/2008 17:04:52] DogFace says: I'd like that.
[28/05/2008 17:05:20] dhjackal says: i'll do my best
[28/05/2008 17:05:41] DogFace says: Cheers man (y)
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