Football Season 2017/18

Great result for Fulham well pleased for them.One of my work mates who is a big fan had £20 on it with a Villa fan so he will a happy bunny tonight.That cottage near the goal is bonkers - got to love Fulham for that and the Micheal Jackson statue,I think its gone now but well funny......right time to get the Champions Leauge Final on......Come on you Reds......praying its Klopps first trophy and none bigger than tonights.

MDS posted:

Yes. Well done Fulham who only just missed out on second place and played some lovely attacking football. Their style looks suited to the PL. Villa will come gain, I'm sure. 

Sadly we’re very much stuffed on the Financial Fair Play front next season. Our big money loans will go and our saleable assets (sadly Jack) are vulnerable to richer clubs. 

Feel sorry for Liverpool this evening. Even if Bale's first goal was extraordinary, you obviously can't afford for your keeper to gift the opposition two goals. Ironically I think that's the best I've seen Liverpool's back four play all season. The two young full-backs did particularly well. Very bad luck to lose Salah so early. I fear he'll miss the World Cup too.

Congratulations to Real, though. They've had some fortune in the knock-out stages and this evening but they are true thoroughbreds. 

Liverpool could have nicked a win, but to give 2 goals away in such a fashion is inexcusable.

As for Bales goal, has to be one of the best strikes I’ve ever seen, and to do it in a final.

RM certainly  deserved to win.

After match interview suggests Bale may well be on the move..

Although two of the goals were dodgy , Real were the better team once Salah went off injured.

Speaking as a Liverpool fan, I thought Bale’s goal was magnificent. A match-winning goal as good as any I’ll see in my lifetime. Probably better than Zidane’s own genius strike in the final.

Still heartbroken, mind.

Harsh reality is that Liverpool probably lost the final with the injuries accumulated in the run up. Liverpool’s domination of the first 20 minutes was wholly deceptive as they normally dominate on the counter rather than through possession and I suspect Real could see that Liverpool had little on the counter. The Ramos incident was predictable and cynical. Should have been a yellow at minimum. Whole of the Liverpool back 4 were fantastic but, although Milner ran himself into the ground, he and Henderson were poor and over-run. Firminio had as poor a game as Manė had a good one. Knew Karius was in trouble from the first few minutes when he threw a ball out down the centre. Good goalkeepers have central throws coached out of them at an early age. You just don’t do it.

All that said, there’s nothing you can do about a goal like the Bale goal except applaud. 

You have to feel sorry for Klopp, to reach 6 finals and lose everyone......

if not for a cynical challenge on Salah, which I’m surprised Ramos got away with...

For Karius to have a mare, and then a wonder strike from Bale.... the football gods were certainly not smiling on Liverpool.....

I’ve watched it a few times, Ramos does nothing wrong.

He’s off balance due to the fact he’s stretching for the ball. Being off balance Salah is able to push him over, AND initially it’s Salah who grabs Ramos’s arm. The only thing he does, is once pushed down, makes sure he takes Salah with him. Good defending.

fatcat posted:

I’ve watched it a few times, Ramos does nothing wrong.

He’s off balance due to the fact he’s stretching for the ball. Being off balance Salah is able to push him over, AND initially it’s Salah who grabs Ramos’s arm. The only thing he does, is once pushed down, makes sure he takes Salah with him. Good defending.

 

Call it good defending, or call it thuggery, the bottom line is that it worked. Once again, we saw that LFC without Salah is a good, but not a great team. I was less impressed by Ramos’s deliberate elbow to Karius’s head, and by his ridiculous dives.

Bale’s goal was amazing. The two mental lapses by Karius aside, I still saw RM as the better team.

LFC’s back four played well, but they were overmatched in the midfield, and so RM could dominate possession. Modric had a fine game. It seems clear where LFC needs to improve if they want to challenge for the PL title, or make another good CL run.

Hope Salah recovers for the World Cup.

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

MDS posted:

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

Clearly he's just paving the way to coming home to Cardiff. He's just been waiting for us to be promoted again. Clearly he's bored with winning things now and wants to sample the joys of a season long relegation battle whilst being able to go to his proper home each evening

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

Clearly he's just paving the way to coming home to Cardiff. He's just been waiting for us to be promoted again. Clearly he's bored with winning things now and wants to sample the joys of a season long relegation battle whilst being able to go to his proper home each evening

Well, I see Ronaldo might be moving soon, too. In for a penny, in for a pound for the Bluebirds? 

MDS posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

Clearly he's just paving the way to coming home to Cardiff. He's just been waiting for us to be promoted again. Clearly he's bored with winning things now and wants to sample the joys of a season long relegation battle whilst being able to go to his proper home each evening

Well, I see Ronaldo might be moving soon, too. In for a penny, in for a pound for the Bluebirds? 

To be honest, I don’t think Bale and Ronaldo play well together despite him clearly not wanting to be left behind by Bale’s audacious move. So we’ll hopefully turn him down

That's the spirit, PB.  As a fellow footie fan, ever dreaming, despite reality, I can relate to your perfect logic    

Ronaldo, Bale, their not going to go to Cardiff in a million years, they will want to be in the capital, London.

so Fulham is the obvious destination...

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

Clearly he's just paving the way to coming home to Cardiff. He's just been waiting for us to be promoted again. Clearly he's bored with winning things now and wants to sample the joys of a season long relegation battle whilst being able to go to his proper home each evening

Well, I see Ronaldo might be moving soon, too. In for a penny, in for a pound for the Bluebirds? 

To be honest, I don’t think Bale and Ronaldo play well together despite him clearly not wanting to be left behind by Bale’s audacious move. So we’ll hopefully turn him down

As an aside, PB, and forgive me if you know this, but our two clubs share an interesting statistic. The 2008 FA cup final between our two clubs still stands as the record attendance at New Wembley (89,874).  Not a bad one to have given the size of the clubs that usually play at Wembley.  

MDS posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

MDS posted:

Bale's after-match interview was revealing. He quite rightly wants to be a regular starter and if Real M aren't giving him that he's clearly looking to move to a team that will. Hope it's a team in the Premier League.  Jose, Pep -  are you watching? 

Clearly he's just paving the way to coming home to Cardiff. He's just been waiting for us to be promoted again. Clearly he's bored with winning things now and wants to sample the joys of a season long relegation battle whilst being able to go to his proper home each evening

Well, I see Ronaldo might be moving soon, too. In for a penny, in for a pound for the Bluebirds? 

To be honest, I don’t think Bale and Ronaldo play well together despite him clearly not wanting to be left behind by Bale’s audacious move. So we’ll hopefully turn him down

As an aside, PB, and forgive me if you know this, but our two clubs share an interesting statistic. The 2008 FA cup final between our two clubs still stands as the record attendance at New Wembley (89,874).  Not a bad one to have given the size of the clubs that usually play at Wembley.  

Evening MDS

Yes, I was aware of that fact. Just goes to show that we must really be the best supported clubs in the UK between us - or have I missed something?

wenger2015 posted:

Ronaldo, Bale, their not going to go to Cardiff in a million years, they will want to be in the capital, London.

so Fulham is the obvious destination...

Clearly you are deluded if you think London is more attractive to footballers than Cardiff, and the joys of St Mary St and Caroline St on a weekend...

Really pleased Fulham went up - they deserved to as the team with the 3rd best points haul over the 46 game season. From a selfish point of view it's a great away day for me as my son lives in Clapham and the ground is in a brilliant location.

Yes, great for Fulham, and well deserved.

As for a choice between London and Cardiff, I would choose Cardiff every time...

my nephew used to have a season ticket for Fulham during the Roy Hodgson era, unfortunately never managed to make the trip.....always working sadly 

wenger2015 posted:

Yes, great for Fulham, and well deserved.

As for a choice between London and Cardiff, I would choose Cardiff every time...

my nephew used to have a season ticket for Fulham during the Roy Hodgson era, unfortunately never managed to make the trip.....always working sadly 

The 'always working' part has struck a chord with me as I work too much too.

I had a period of time not following Cardiff in the flesh, having been more than slightly put off in the 1970's by spending as much of a match dodging various missiles thrown between the 'fans' as actually watching a game.

Started my season ticket again when my son was young, and we were in League 1, in order to make sure I had dates in my diary when I knew I had to stop working and spend some time with him following the football.  Occasionally it's felt a little bit like child abuse, but mostly it's just been a joy to share time with him and, for the last 10 years or so, my Dad has started coming too, having taken me to my first match v Real Madrid in 1971. We've had a great time together - 3 trips to Wembley (despite not winning either of the finals) and 3 promotions now.

This is a very long-winded way of saying you should have gone to watch the games with your nephew. Fulham is a great little club and they've played some lovely football this season, but mostly because of the times you would have shared together and the work you would have never missed not doing.

Penarth Blues posted:

wenger2015 posted:

Yes, great for Fulham, and well deserved.

As for a choice between London and Cardiff, I would choose Cardiff every time...

my nephew used to have a season ticket for Fulham during the Roy Hodgson era, unfortunately never managed to make the trip.....always working sadly 

The 'always working' part has struck a chord with me as I work too much too.

I had a period of time not following Cardiff in the flesh, having been more than slightly put off in the 1970's by spending as much of a match dodging various missiles thrown between the 'fans' as actually watching a game.

Started my season ticket again when my son was young, and we were in League 1, in order to make sure I had dates in my diary when I knew I had to stop working and spend some time with him following the football.  Occasionally it's felt a little bit like child abuse, but mostly it's just been a joy to share time with him and, for the last 10 years or so, my Dad has started coming too, having taken me to my first match v Real Madrid in 1971. We've had a great time together - 3 trips to Wembley (despite not winning either of the finals) and 3 promotions now.

This is a very long-winded way of saying you should have gone to watch the games with your nephew. Fulham is a great little club and they've played some lovely football this season, but mostly because of the times you would have shared together and the work you would have never missed not doing.

I’ve been blessed with a daughter, who I have taken to watch the Arsenal a few times over the years, unfortunately like yourself spent to much time dodging misslies, eventually decided it was safer to watch on the telly. 

Ps  still trying to balance the work and leisure scenario but have slowly learnt the art of diplomatically saying no .... much to the benefit of the grandchildren 

wenger2015 posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

wenger2015 posted:

Yes, great for Fulham, and well deserved.

As for a choice between London and Cardiff, I would choose Cardiff every time...

my nephew used to have a season ticket for Fulham during the Roy Hodgson era, unfortunately never managed to make the trip.....always working sadly 

The 'always working' part has struck a chord with me as I work too much too.

I had a period of time not following Cardiff in the flesh, having been more than slightly put off in the 1970's by spending as much of a match dodging various missiles thrown between the 'fans' as actually watching a game.

Started my season ticket again when my son was young, and we were in League 1, in order to make sure I had dates in my diary when I knew I had to stop working and spend some time with him following the football.  Occasionally it's felt a little bit like child abuse, but mostly it's just been a joy to share time with him and, for the last 10 years or so, my Dad has started coming too, having taken me to my first match v Real Madrid in 1971. We've had a great time together - 3 trips to Wembley (despite not winning either of the finals) and 3 promotions now.

This is a very long-winded way of saying you should have gone to watch the games with your nephew. Fulham is a great little club and they've played some lovely football this season, but mostly because of the times you would have shared together and the work you would have never missed not doing.

I’ve been blessed with a daughter, who I have taken to watch the Arsenal a few times over the years, unfortunately like yourself spent to much time dodging misslies, eventually decided it was safer to watch on the telly. 

Ps  still trying to balance the work and leisure scenario but have slowly learnt the art of diplomatically saying no .... much to the benefit of the grandchildren 

 

I hope you manage to get the balance right for yourself - it's amazing how often we feel the world can't manage without us but actually it can. I've found I actually work better having had a proper break or knowing I had to finish by a deadline as I had something else I had to do . Now all I have to do is find a way to start and finish at a reasonable hour each day...

Penarth Blues posted:

wenger2015 posted:

Penarth Blues posted:

wenger2015 posted:

Yes, great for Fulham, and well deserved.

As for a choice between London and Cardiff, I would choose Cardiff every time...

my nephew used to have a season ticket for Fulham during the Roy Hodgson era, unfortunately never managed to make the trip.....always working sadly 

The 'always working' part has struck a chord with me as I work too much too.

I had a period of time not following Cardiff in the flesh, having been more than slightly put off in the 1970's by spending as much of a match dodging various missiles thrown between the 'fans' as actually watching a game.

Started my season ticket again when my son was young, and we were in League 1, in order to make sure I had dates in my diary when I knew I had to stop working and spend some time with him following the football.  Occasionally it's felt a little bit like child abuse, but mostly it's just been a joy to share time with him and, for the last 10 years or so, my Dad has started coming too, having taken me to my first match v Real Madrid in 1971. We've had a great time together - 3 trips to Wembley (despite not winning either of the finals) and 3 promotions now.

This is a very long-winded way of saying you should have gone to watch the games with your nephew. Fulham is a great little club and they've played some lovely football this season, but mostly because of the times you would have shared together and the work you would have never missed not doing.

I’ve been blessed with a daughter, who I have taken to watch the Arsenal a few times over the years, unfortunately like yourself spent to much time dodging misslies, eventually decided it was safer to watch on the telly. 

Ps  still trying to balance the work and leisure scenario but have slowly learnt the art of diplomatically saying no .... much to the benefit of the grandchildren 

 

 Now all I have to do is find a way to start and finish at a reasonable hour each day...

Yes, still battling with that one...... although I am getting better at prioritising .... which means I manage it more times then not

thebigfredc posted:

Although two of the goals were dodgy , Real were the better team once Salah went off injured.

Liverpool’s match-winners are their front three and Salah is the lynchpin that all their attacking goes through. RM were being overrun and were clearly sh*tting themselves in the first 20 mins.

Salah’s departure was undoubtedly the turning point. The tone of the game changed immediately he went off - RM’s heads lifted and Liverpool’s previous momentum evaporated, so much so that it was a relief to be 0-0 at HT.

RM’s goals consisted of 2 goalkeeping gifts as unlikely as could have been imagined, plus another goal equally unimaginable, though for different reasons. It was a superbly executed goal, especially given the context, but still; it could have gone anywhere ...

RM are an aging and overrated side whole biggest asset nowadays is their ability to “manage” a game. Isco, Ronaldo and Benzema didn’t turn up. Modric was their best player, (and definitely MoM), followed by Kroos. Bale (sicknote lol?) is a bit-player compared to those two.

I have no doubt we would won that game without Salah’s departure.