Football season 2013-2014

But your goal was dubious as well!  Carroll obviously punched Mignolet in the head. It was a clear foul, and it was called emphatically by the linesman. Watching it overruled by the referee was a mystery.  The commentators speculated it was payback from the hand ball, but they all agreed it was a clear violation (and even though it something that Suarez has provoked several times this season).

Being able to win ugly games is the sign of a champion, and Liverpool has now done exactly that quite a few times.  The matchup with City next weekend at Anfield should be terrific...maybe even winner take all.  Looking forward to it!

Hook

Hook, out of curiosity, are you following the Premiership over in Mineapolis? I think I have read you say that you quite like football.

So I am wondering if you subscribe to a TV service or are you listening in on the radio?

Jason.

Hi Jason -

Surprisingly, we get very good coverage through our basic cable TV plan (Comcast is the provider).  NBC Sports shows many Premier League games live and in high def. The weekend games are very convenient for me because they are on early in the morning my time.  

Fox Sports shows Champions and Europa league play on weekday afternoons while I'm at work, so I've been recording those and watching replays when I can.

We even have a Spanish language channel that picks up quite a few games from La Liga, but they are all in standard def, so not quite so easy on the eye!

I got the soccer, er...sorry, football bug as a kid. Was a goalie in high school, and also played some club ball in college, but then lost interest in most all pro sports for many years. It was really only in the run up to last World Cup that my interest in football was rekindled.  

Mrs. Hook was born and raised in South Africa, and we were visiting her Mom in a small town southwest of Johannesburg called Potchefstroom.  Turned out to be the practice home for Spain, and I had great fun watching them work out for several days.  We were allowed to sit very close to the field, and it was amazing watching them drill. Afterwards, they were all very friendly, signing autographs. Even Fernando Torres was friendly to the crowd!  So I rooted for Spain right through to the final, when Iniesta's goal in the 116th minute gave Spain their first world title. Very fun stuff!

I've picked Liverpool as my EPL team to root for after watching a show called "Being: Liverpool".  It followed Brendan Rogers and the team through the 2012 season, his first year as a manager.  After last year's big bite, and missing the first 6 games, I think it's pretty amazing what Suarez has done this season. But I can sure understand why he's hated...

Sorry for the long post...again, all good fun!  Go Reds!  

ATB.

Hook

Hi Hook,

Thanks for that explanation. A friend of mine was also at the World Cup in S. Africa, he is a big Chelsea fan and will be popping over to Brazil this summer for the footbal festivities. I, of course, am very jealous. But events have construed against me going to Brazil anyway as we are expecting a son this July.

The States have certainly got televising football well and truely sorted it seems, but the Americans are big sports fans so I should not be surprised. And you were a goal keeper too, would the Sylvester Stallone character in the film, Escape to Victory get anywhere near to describing your antics between the goal posts...or Bruce Brobelaar for that matter?

I am living in Oslo, and the Norwegians could easily be described as our footballing cousins, they are huge English Football supporters. Liverpool are probably the biggest supported English club and even my neighbours wife, who is German, supports Liverpool and of course their kids. So all Norwegians tend to support two football teams, one Norwegian and one English.

Maybe one day when you visit Europe, you will get to see them play at Anfield and hear the superb singing and the cheeky humour.

Jason.

Well, following the change of manager, you've put a couple together a couple of good wins, so you might just escape the drop, which would leave Eastleigh breathing a sigh of relief - the thought of 8000 blues descending on the Silverlake (capacity 1000 and a dog!) must have been giving them the shakes. Not to mention the inevitable number of "fans for the day" from you-know-who who would be there to "welcome" the Pompey fans!

Hi Jason -

Funny you should mention Grobbelaar, as he's another South African connection. There's some great Youtube footage of him from his Liverpool days in the early 80's. And no, I was never that brave in terms of either leaving the box, or getting in the face of the fullbacks I played with! What a mad man he was! But he certainly backed up his words with real quality (something I sorely lacked).

I don't envy the role of modern goal keepers. Yes, they are bigger and more athletic. But the modern ball is traveling so much faster, and moves so much more. Back in ancient times, we were taught to catch (or catch-drop-trap), not punch to the corner. But with so many wild knuckleballs, there's simply no choice in today's game.

Thanks also for reminding me of "Escape to Victory" -- haven't seen it in many years. Now those were some brave goalies!! ;-)

ATB.

Hook

Well done, Chelsea. Better than PSG on the night and after hitting the bar twice, deserved a little bit of luck with their second goal.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Just watched the replay, and I thought the first goal was luckier than the first, what with Schurrle just being in the right place at the right time. Very good strike though. IMO, the second goal was all down to Demba Ba's sheer determination and amazing body control. Great goal!

Funny how both scores came from subs, so who gets the credit?  The Special One of course!  Am sure PSG missed Ibra, but it was fun to see Chelsea move on. Congrats to all Blues fans!

Hook

Yes, Hook. I agree Demba Ba took his goal well. The luck I saw was how the shot before it took a kindly deflection off Alex and fell into Demba Ba's path.

As for credit, I'm inclined to give it to the Special One. Love him or loathe him, he's a winner.

One last tip o' the blue cap goes to Petr Čech.  That was an absolutely brilliant save he made down low at his near post in stoppage time.  Without that, the ending would have been very similar to game one (with José walking early to the locker room, instead of running full speed to the corner flag ).

Will be rooting for the underdogs tonight. Hard to see MU winning in Berlin, but stranger things have happened.  Harder still to think of Barca as an underdog at AM...but they definitely are. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that AM will do a better job of dealing with the loss of Costa then Barca will with the loss of Pique.

Should be another fun evening!

Hook

I guess the trip was worth it for the architecture and German beer rather than the football Chris. 

Next year you'll be able to extend to a nice 4 day weekend break with the Europa league played on Thursdays. 

Something like that …...

I was probably being optimistic suggesting Europa League football for United next year. It's highly unlikely they will reach 6th place. Arsenal and Spurs are favourited for 5th and 6th ATM.

No Europa League please - if we can't make fourth then seventh will do nicely. I'm planning to start a 552 fund with the savings 

I think Man U would do better to avoid the Eurubbisha League next season. A ridiculous number of poorly attended fixtures with teams many people have barely heard of.  A team of United's pedigree wouldn't want to appear in that competition, surely?  

Agreed - which is why I say "No" to the Europa League. Actually it more having to play about 17 or so games on a Sunday that is the real nightmare

It's certainly made a difference to Liverpools season not being in the Europa League this year.Sundays game should be a good one and with the Hillsborough anniversary Liverpool should be fired up.

Steve 

A 'must see' game if ever there was, Steve.  I'll be in front of the Sky box on Sunday for that one. Given my lot stand to gain £1m from Johnson's transfer if LFC win the Premier League I guess I'll have to root for the Reds but it's an enticing fixture anyway.

OMG - Hillsborough Anniversary = How many penalties to Liverpool?

No game play - just spot kicks  

Oh - and Brenda reckons that she will "unleash" the Liverpool supporters on Citeh - that sounds about right 

Winning next years Europa league might be United's best chance of champions league football the following season.

Can't see them finishing in the top 4 anytime soon.

Can't see them finishing in the top 4 anytime soon.

I don't know - a few undeserved penalties and anything might happen - apparently