fatboss

Get yourselves to Anfield on a European night boys!
There's nothing like it. I swear it makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck!
On the flipside, some days against lower opponents, you need a ton of dynamite to wake the crowd up!

Can't have everything can you?

Now here's the problem - Do I cheer Everton in the FA Cup semi against Man Ure? I don't think I could bring myself! I'll just pray for a replay, lots of fighting, red cards and multiple injuries. Does that make me a bad person? *tee hee*

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highthief

It's a problem, but short of Armegeddon obliterating both sides, I'd pull for the Toffees as the lesser of two evils. At least the Everton supporting part of the family will be happy. If the Mancs win, no win is satisfied.

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Glory's Sun

The Toffees will certainly be having a go at United. I can see Saha making some noise and pushing the pace, but United are more than capable of handling Everton.

and really? Everton is the lesser of two evils?? Wow. I mean I know the Mancs and Scousers hate each other but Toffee's and 'Pudlians don't exactly see eye to eye either

highthief

There's a lot of intermarriage within Merseyside, but we draw the line at the M60.

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Glory's Sun

So what happens if the Toffees are allowed to move their stadium?? I know Liverpool is looking to play pretty close to where Everton currently play..and Everton are trying to get into Liverpool.. weird.

highthief

Everton and Liverpool are both in Liverpool. The stadiums are very close to another currently - they are seperated by a large park. Everton are considering moving to Kirkby (pronounced as Kirby, BTW) which is still in Merseyside but is outside Liverpool city limits. It's a bit like the NFL Giants playing in New Jersey but still calling themselves the New York Giants.

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Glory's Sun

ok.. I thought they were both in Liverpool but wasn't sure..when I was listening to the proposed moves..it was confusing. I've really no clue as to geography around those parts.. thanks for the clarification.

Just heard that alot of the everton faithful really don't like the move..

I've been hearing an awful lot of bark coming from Rafa lately.. he better hope he gets some bite or he's going to look pretty silly.

highthief

If there weren't two big clubs in Liverpool (which is really a fairly small place at the end of the day) I don't think the Everton fans would be so against the move knowing they could get a big new stadium to generate revenue (Goodison is a very old ground). But they feel like the club would be "abandoning" the city itself to Liverpool FC - and there is some logic to what they say.

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Glory's Sun

Once again Liverpool look good in the CL.. wonder if they will carry any momentum against United later in the week. Even if they beat United.. I still don't see United giving away the PL.. but stranger things have happened.

Real never showed up for either game..

highthief

Fantastic performance against Real today. 4-0. Can't recall that happening to Real before in Europe. If not for Casillas, I'm not kidding, that would have been 8-0 or 9-0. He made a hatfull of really top class saves. Real has no defense and Ramos still has no clue about how to win against a Premier League team.

Very happy with the performance and result.

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Glory's Sun

I was hoping at least either liverpool or chelsea wouldn't make it through..I though Chelsea was going to get a draw.. but they prevailed. I'm a tad worried that maybe United has peaked too early, but I don't see the likes of Chelsea stopping them. Liverpool.. maybe in the CL..but not the PL.. guess we won't have long to see what happens.

Torres certainly didn't look like he was having any ill effects from the injury. bastard.

Glory's Sun

Well I was right on the score prediction. United looked good.. not their best, but solid. They had a few issues in the first half and I don't know why..but it looked like it was because they were trying to squeeze in instead of spreading which kills Inter. It's nice to see the Great and Special one lose. All this talk of him taking over United is bollocks. It looks like The Great one is really just a one trick pony.. and that is winning league titles. Who knows.. maybe he'll end up in Anfield

highthief

All 4 English sides are now through to the 1/4s with Arsenal winning on penalties.

Cue Michel Platini complaining about how powerful the Premier League has become.

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Glory's Sun

and que Patini complaining every other sentence. Wanker.

Glory's Sun

looks like City are trying to buy David Villa from Valencia.

City is trying to buy everyone. I doubt they'll really get any quality transfers though.

highthief

Valencia has to sell - they're pretty near bankrupt, and you can bet City are the only ones who will offer up really big bucks right now. So long as Villa agrees, he'll be off. Silva too most likely. Too bad, it will still take City several years to challenge at the top levels, and a better manager than Sparky Hughes to get the job done.

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Glory's Sun

Valencia has already said they would not be giving any discounts to either player. They desperately need the cash..and city has plenty of it. I think Hughes will be a fine manager.. just hate seeing him on the City side. Hughes' problem is that he really just has such a mix-match team that it's hard to get any consistency out of them.


hope you 'pudlians are ready for the match tomorrow. Fergie has already said he wasn't going to hold back his players. You lose, and title is ours. You win, and the title is still ours

fatboss

David Villa will be at Liverpool next season - you mark my words.
Torres and Villa up front? That gets me aroused just thinking about it! HA HA HA!

Can't think straight this morning, it's going to be the biggest game of the season. The only down side is it's on Sky Sports so that means I have to listen to Andy 'I'm not bitter' Gray gushing over Man Ure and struggling to ever give Liverpool a fuckin' compliment!

Bitter, me? nah! I just can't stand Andy Gray!

Come on you Red Men! (the Anfield ones that is!)

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Glory's Sun

well so far Torres is certainly in good form..

Two costly mistakes by both clubs.. silly fouls and even worse.. penalty worthy.

---------- Post added at 09:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:41 AM ----------

well fuck..looks like there is still a title race.

goal after Vidic send off is certainly a back breaker.

4-1 Liverpool.

Never expected that result. United's backline was absolutely horrible. The midfield never tried to keep any real possession. Rest assured that 4 points is still a lead and I am certain that United will not be in such poor form again.

highthief

It's been a pretty good week, all in all!

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Glory's Sun

here's the next big question .... will Liverpool actually respond to the lesser clubs? Liverpool has pulled the double on United, yet they simply cannot be consistent especially against lower clubs.

I think we can all agree that United will bounce back with a vengeance (poor Fulham) especially considering this was the worst loss at OT since '92.

The title credits aren't rolling just yet, but I'm going to go ahead and place a bet on Liverpool doing something stupid against a club they should very well beat.

or maybe I should just bet on Rafa doing something stupid.

highthief

Don't be bitter - that's Everton's job.

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Glory's Sun

I'm not bitter. Liverpool deserved the win.

I just want to make sure you 'pudlian's don't get the wrong idea..

fatboss

Good call highthief! laffin me arse off!

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healer

Like gucci's already said, Liverpool played the better game and deserved to win. I made the mistake of going to watch the game at my friend's house (Liverpool lover AND Man U. hater - funny how often those 2 coincide).

But with a 4-point lead and a game in hand, it's United's title to lose. Especially with Fulham coming up (while Liverpool play Villa, who look hungry). All it takes is a draw for Liverpool and Chelsea to put it well beyond their reach.

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Glory's Sun

Yes a 4 point lead and game in hand is nice. United still would have to lose 3 of the remaining 10 matches to lose the title. Not going to happen. If anything this scouser win is nothing more than a wakeup call to United. United has been looking complacent for a few weeks now. All that's been done is that the giant has been awakened.

So you scousers can gloat about the win all you want..it's certainly not going to fill up your trophy cabinet.

What's going to be even better is when we march to Rome and lift that title as well. I think the scousers are just jealous because they know that the record books are being re-written and it's not by their supposedly "most successful club"

And while I'm on this pseudo rant... I hope the FA makes you play on the anniversary of the Hillsborough accident.. I'm so sick of the goddamn scousers and gooners singing their songs poking fun at the Munich disaster. Maybe this will help them see how classless it is.


On a side note, Vidic only received a 2 match ban for his straight red, so he'll be in place for the hardest of our next 3 matches which is Sunderland away.

Glory Glory Man United!

highthief

You're out of order on a couple of counts and showing a startling level of immaturity and ignorance:

Regardless of what any subsection of fans sings at a given match about other sides, Hillsborough is sacred. When the 96 died, they were members of our community, neighbours, real people living next door or in the next street. Gerrard's cousin died that day. Fatboss can speak more to this. You're an American, disconnected from this. Both sets of fans have elements that mock Hillsborough and Munich - both are wrong. But Hillsborough is something that very deeply affected an entire city, is recent, and the people that died were supporters, neighbours and family. It's not just something that happened on TV to us.

Second, it has nothing to do with the FA. European football is governed by UEFA, an entirely seperate organization.

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Glory's Sun

You're right..I don't know why I put FA..just mark that half of the post a mental lapse

I know that Hillsborough is sacred.. I was just on a piss rant.. It doesn't matter what my nationality is.. doesn't mean I'm as disconnected as you think.. either way.. I shouldn't have brought that here. I was just getting tired of the scousers over on the United boards registering and then making horrible comments about the Munich disaster. Some of the things they said had nothing to do with the match Saturday. It was callous and crude.. and given the chance to go back and look..I was at that level when I posted that. So I offer my full apology. It's one of those things a person says that really isn't meant but is completely stupid either way. I know that some fans give shit about the Hillsborough and the Munich disaster.. I just wish some of them would start showing some class.

But anyway.. sorry to open a wound; and again.. don't think I'm actually that disconnected just because I'm American. I have an awful lot of family in the UK .. you also probably think I'm some glory hunting foreign fan.. this is not even close to the truth. I'll wear that crest no matter what happens.

So again.. apologies for the Hillsborough remark.

fatboss

Oh I can feel the love across the water.

Guccilvr, you're a noble man for everything you said there by way of your apology.

Genuine fans don't use tragedy to mock their opponents. Those that do are just utter dickheads to me and it's more about the goading than the team.

Hillsborough was and always will be a dark day in my life. My Wife could have gone to that game, she's had a season ticket for The Kop for over 20 years. Whatever made her decide not to go that day, I thank the Lord for that.

It also brought her and a long-lost friend together, they both thought the other one was at the ground and rang each other almost simultaneously! So from dark times good things emerge.

Back to the game on Saturday - the most satisfying thing was how quickly the 'Theatre of Dreams' emptied when the score was still 1-3.
Dossena has a new nickname - The Magician - When he scores he makes 65,000 Mancs disappear!

Sorry couldn't resist!

Still yours to lose Guccilvr - watch this space!

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Glory's Sun

Thanks for the story on Hillsborough.

Yeah.. there are quite a lot of us who are disgusted at the fans display the other day. Those fucking glory hunters couldn't even bear to keep their jerseys on. They had better be glad Keano isn't around to bust their chops.

Ya know, I don't know what to feel about the game.. Sure I'm disappointed, but I don't know if Liverpool outplayed United, I felt they had good pressure with Gerrard coming forward, but it was more like they just took advantage of some really uncharacteristic mistakes. Not making excuses here.. just looking at it again, if it had held at 2-1 or a draw, the perception would be quite different.

Eh, whatever, it's done and overwith. It is still United's to lose, and I'm just waiting for the CL draw to see what's going to happen. If 'Pool and United get squared for this leg... fireworks are going to happen.

highthief

1. Fair play re the apology.

2. Wow, that is amazing Fatboss! It's like those stories you hear about people who had booked plane flights and then decided not to go, and then the plane crashes or gets hijacked or something. What a piece of good luck amidst such a tragedy.

3. We've finally found a role for Dossena - he's a lousy fullback but a fantastic striker!

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Vaultboy

Granted, the title is still United's to lose, but I think you're mistaken about Villa. If you've watched their games, you'll see that they look tired. They've been sliding in quality since December - a fact somewhat masked by wins scraped through penalties and own goals. Laursen's injury has been the killer blow, I reckon. Pool's deadly counters will cut Villa apart.

A more probable prospect is that a resurgent Arsenal could take points off Pool and/or Chelsea. But then they could even beat United. With 7 from 9 against the top 3 in the first half of the season, and their star players returning, the games against Arsenal could be the deciding ones in the title race.

On another point: Why only a two-game ban for Vidic? Isn't a red an automatic 3-game ban? the reports make it seem that it would've only been one game - but he got 2 because of a prior red in the season....

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fatboss

I think you're spot on about Villa Vaultboy. They're tired and missing the mighty Laursen. Just shows you what losing a good player does to a team.

(mental note to self to go and wrap Gerrard and Torres in cotton wool!)

Let's see which Liverpool turn up for that game eh?

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highthief

There are different types of fouls for which a red is issued - for a violent incident (like hitting another player or a reckless tackle) he'd get 3. But for a professional foul like that where he is stopping Gerrard from going clear through on goal it is usually a one game ban, but as you say, he gets two because he's a repeat offender.

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Glory's Sun

Yes it's a professional foul and since this is his second professional foul on the season it has gone to 2 matches. There was quite a bit of speculation that it would be 3 since it was after March 1. Rio was saying he had time to go back and cover which would have been in the appeal process but I don't think he could have. That was one game where the Ref was outstanding.

Amazing how JT did the exact same thing and had his card rescinded. Oh well, not too worried about it. Vidic will still be in place for Sunderland away.

Villa is not the team liverpool should look out for, Blackburn and Newcastle are the ones Liverpool should be concerned about. With their record against the lower clubs this season..those could very well end in a 0-0 draw.

Vaultboy

Not really. English players get away with more. Rooney can tell the ref "fuck off" and the ref just smiles back. Terry is the English captain, and the FA will preserve his record wherever possible. Graham Poll reflected on the double standard in his recent book.

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Glory's Sun

Not really what? Terry received the straight red and was sent off and then later had it rescinded so he didn't have to miss anything. I don't want to hear that Wazza gets away with anything..he's booked for dissent quite often. The only player on United who gets away with anything on a regular basis is Ronaldo.


JT has said that he will not go anywhere and will retire at Chelski. He was linked in a move to ManCity in January, but he's pretty much put all that to rest.. City has tons of cash but I don't know why they would want the most overrated defenseman in the history of the game.

highthief

Actually, I think Villa is a serious threat - they're about as low as they can go and are due for a good game. Meanwhile, we've been flying but it'll be tough to match the enthusiasm of the last couple of games. I'll be pretty happy with 3 points no matter how we get them.

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Vaultboy

THat's your prerogative as a United fan. Look at tonight's Arsenal vs Hull game: Amongst the flurry of cards, there were 2 bookings that could only have been for backchatting. The commentators said Van Persie was lucky to escape without a booking for talking to the ref. Then watch Terry, Rooney blatantly shouting at the ref to "fuck off" (its easy to lipread) and nothing happening. Also read Poll's opinion that Terry should be stripped of the captaincy because of his...ungentlemanly conduct at club level. You cant really deny it. Foreigners and non-national squad Englishmen get booked easier.

Anyway, back to the football: FA Semi's looking interesting. Chelse and United are favourites to go through, but Everton and Arsenal could spring a surprise, I reckon.

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highthief

If you look at the stats, in the top ten defenders in terms of yellow cards are Terry (7 yellows), the England captain, Johnson (6 yellows), an England regular, and Warnock (7 yellows), a fringe England player.

In the midfield Barry (6 yellows) and Parker (7 yellows), a sometime England player are represented in the top 10.

Amongst forwards, Rooney (6 yellows), Agbonlahor (4) and Defoe (4) are all in the top ten.

Obviously, they are not all for mouthing off, but they do get their share of yellows.

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