Wake up you footy fans!!!

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 10:36 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:
Otis Westinghouse wrote:Ludicrous. What a fumble by Carroll! I have to concede that Jackson should be laughing not grumbling. That said, it sounded like a poor show that United hadn't scored earlier. Radio 5 reckoned they had had 70% possession. And where the fuck is Defoe, I need the points!

Looks like a decisive night for Chelskinho. Short of some totally unimaginable catastrophe at this stage, that gap is too big to close. Good argument this evening for keeping Gudjohnsen on the bench.
From the bit I saw of the Spurs/ManU match (the final half hour), I think Spurs were the better side. That has to be troubling for ManU, considering that neither Defoe nor Kanoute played. Complete travesty of a refereeing decision. I can only imagine what Ferguson would have said if it had happened to him. Fair dues to Jol for being so classy about it.

I'm happy to see Drogba scoring goals - I have him on my fantasy team now. I don't think anyone's gonna catch us now. Mourinho inspires such confidence. Our defensive record is simply stunning, and if we can get one of our strikers scoring goals now, we can't be stopped.

It's to be expected that Man Utd will have the majority of possession at Old Trafford. The great thing about this match from a Spurs fan's point of view, is that we clearly got stronger as the game went on. I agree with WSS about the last 30 mins. We looked fairly cool, although it's accepted that Utd had a few chances to score. That said, apart from Pamarot's attempt at an OG, Robinson and King matched anything that was thrown at them with some comfort. A great Spurs performance - the boys should all be proud.

Final word about an unsung hero - Michael Carrick was awesome last night in the holding role. His tackling was a revelation. I'd always had him down as a softie at the Hammers, but he gets better with each match.

Chelsea next....and i think that they'll be a lot tougher.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:19 pm

FA explains United goal ruling

An FA spokesman after the game absolved the linesman of any
responsibility for the apparently mistaken decision not to award a goal to
Spurs after a shot from the halfway line crossed the goal line by at least a
meter.

"The shot came in from an unusual distance and as such
caught the linesman out of position forcing him to race back towards the
goal as the play developed", explained the spokesman, "As he ran, the United
scarf he was wearing under his shirt came loose and fluttered up into his
face obscuring his view and preventing him from making the call. It was just
one of those things."

In response to further questions from the Press the
spokesman explained "If they don't already have a United tattoo most
officials on game day try to wear a scarf or a replica shirt under their
regulation kit to show their support for the worlds greatest club. The
linesman in this case had chosen to wear a United scarf, a common choice
that is in keeping with FA guidelines. The root cause of the problem lies
not with the linesman but with the players and management of Tottenham
Hotspur Football Club who broke one the most important unwritten rules of
the English FA: They placed a shot on target at Old Trafford. Martin Jol is
new to this country and perhaps he s not yet familiar with some of our finer
traditions. Fortunately if he doesn't yet understand that for the greater
good of the game visiting teams, by tradition, are not expected to try to
score at Old Trafford then our officials are in a position to
help Mr Jol make that cultural adjustment."

Chuckling to himself the FA spokesman added "The goal had to
be disallowed to avoid us descending down a slippery slope that would be bad
for the national game. It's a fine line the officials have to walk. If they
award a goal this week, next week someone might expect a penalty or ask that
Van Nistleroy be booked for diving. Can you imagine? That would just never
do. No no no. Shocking, just the thought of it."

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:46 pm

Brilliant !!

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Jan 05, 2005 7:38 pm

We can put a man on the moon...
we can clone a sheep...
we can make shoes with flashing lights...

but we can't put a chip in the ball that gives a signal to the referee when it has crossed the goal line.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 4:41 am

...and we still can't provide neutral officials to Old Trafford.

Excellent post Jackson!

I wonder if the sound of "Cheat" will greet Roy Carroll at grounds around the country when he plays. It wouldn't surprise me to see him dropped (or rested or have a mysterious illness for the next few months) assuming Man U don't sign a new keeper.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:22 pm

The "goal" was not the only unsporting incident in the game. A ball put out, so that a Spurs player could get treatment, was not returned to Tottenham when United took the resulting throw-in. And for all the good reports about Gabriel Heinze, his use of an elbow on Robbie Keane's face was as cynical an act as you may see anywhere.

I'm not really too wound up about it considering. If Spurs fail to qualify for Europe for two points, I might go a bit incandescent though !!

John · Post by **John** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:37 pm

Wouln't it have been nice to hear Sir Alex say "We were a bit lucky there - it was well in."
Instead he simply said that Utd should have had a penalty at the other end (which TV showed to be outside the box).
Such a bad sport - unfortunately that trait has probably helped to make him successful.

Good to see Moyes' men on the march again after the hammering at Spurs. Usual service resumed - one goal victory 1/2 minute over the 2 added minutes

. Our defence is not the same without our full quota of old men (Martyn, Stubbs and Weir). Wright and Yobo's mistakes always seem to lead to goals. Hurry back Nigel Martyn.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 7:11 pm

verbal gymnastics wrote:I wonder if the sound of "Cheat" will greet Roy Carroll at grounds around the country when he plays.

It's not as if it's unusual for a player to hope to get away with it. When did you ever see a blatantly offside goal not be met by a response of celebration, despite awareness that it's about to be disallowed? Obviously he was expecting it to be given, you could see it in the way he looked round. He was hardly going to say 'hang on, you should give a goal there, linesman', was he now? Not his fault the linesman fucked up.

Double god news this week making up for the OT farce: 1) Andy Cole not only failed to score any of Fulham's 3, he also got booked, keeping me securely at the top of the work league for at least another gameweek, given that no. 2 had made him his captain; 2) Palace's Powell, who I had purely as a cheapo makeweight, and who has been on loan all season at somewhere like West Ham, suddenly played his first game of the season in Palace's victory, and got 6 points in the process! Nice one.

Did I mention that I let out a cry of celebration at Old Trafford pre-match on Dec 18 when I heard the news that Chelsea had won 4-0? Nearby bloke gave me a very concerned look, and some mild verbals. Fortunately in the family stand I didn't get lynched. It meant I knew I was in for good points...

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 7:29 pm

If you found a grand lying in the street in an envelope...would you keep it?

Exactly...

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 5:37 am

Got to agree. Certainly not Carroll's fault. As much as I would have admired him if he had owned up, his career at Old Trafford would have been over (if it isn't already).

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:51 pm

Go on Exeter. ManU held - at OT - by a conference side. Sure, they didn't start their first team, but should that matter? Bad karma comes back to bite the Mancs in the ass.

Well done by Scunthorpe for making a game of it at the Bridge. They nearly made Mourinho pay for treating it like a friendly - first move of his I've questioned this season.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 5:39 am

Well that's the fun of the FA Cup, but what the hell are Man U up to? Even with our F team it should have been a walkover. Fair dues to Exeter. Can they go one better at home?

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:00 am

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Well that's the fun of the FA Cup, but what the hell are Man U up to? Even with our F team it should have been a walkover. Fair dues to Exeter. Can they go one better at home?

Not a chance!

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:03 am

As much chance as Bryan Robson going teetotal.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:17 am

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:54 pm

Why did Ferguson apologise? Completly undermines Exexter getting a draw....I'm sick of this 'Unlike any other club in the world, Man Utd is like a circus where people flock from Japan, Scandinavia and the Home counties just to see Wes Brown play...and if we don't win 4-0 we should be sorry that their dreams weren't achieved' attitude! It's a football ground, not Disneyworld.
People paid their money to see a game of football, that's what they got...end of story.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:08 pm

Gotta agree LC. It nearly pisses me off as much as those MU fans who refer to their team as 'United' as if the likes of West Ham, Leeds and Newcastle don't have a right to use the name. You know the thing.... Q: "which club do you follow?"
A: "United"

...and am I the only person who gets hacked off with OT being called "The Theatre of Dreams"....how pompous can any club get...

See.....I'm completely over the Roy Carroll incident...hasn't affected me whatsoever...no sir-ee...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 7:58 pm

But it truly is a Theatre of Dreams, honest! Well, it was on Dec 18, less so on Jan 8. When I went to see UNITED at the THEATRE OF DREAMS I picked up a lovely THEATRE OF DREAMS postcard that I have at my desk at work to help get me through the day.

Did Fergie apologise for the crap result? Quite right, UNITED should do better, especially at the THEATRE OF DREAMS.

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:06 pm

Well in that case, I suppose White Hart Lane is the ' Coliseum of Nightmares'.....or at least it has been for the past 17 years.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:47 pm

Hey, wait till you visit the Golden Bowl of Extreme Pain! (aka Molineux)

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:28 pm

White Hart Lane:
Ship of Fools
The Nada Bowl
Arena of Piss
Cinema du Wanke
The site of lillyshite
The place of easy points
The Palace of Whine
The castle of paper walls
Shite Tart Lane
The Synagogue of Sin
Chapel of mediocrite
Field of Dung
House of Lards
Desert of Dross

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:44 pm

so lacklustre wrote:White Hart Lane:
Ship of Fools
The Nada Bowl
Arena of Piss
Cinema du Wanke
The site of lillyshite
The place of easy points
The Palace of Whine
The castle of paper walls
Shite Tart Lane
The Synagogue of Sin
Chapel of mediocrite
Field of Dung
House of Lards
Desert of Dross

Or the old stand-by, Three Point Lane.

Truth be told, I'm a little nervous about Chelsea playing them this weekend. They're on a great run of form.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 7:28 pm

How I love the slightly less mature aspects of football fandom.

Got to work today to find a set of Exeter City scarves and hats we used last year for a photoshoot festooned all around my desk. I'm offering to rent them out to colleagues for wed 19th!

Jackson Monk · Post by **Jackson Monk** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 4:40 am

so lacklustre wrote:White Hart Lane:
Ship of Fools
The Nada Bowl
Arena of Piss
Cinema du Wanke
The site of lillyshite
The place of easy points
The Palace of Whine
The castle of paper walls
Shite Tart Lane
The Synagogue of Sin
Chapel of mediocrite
Field of Dung
House of Lards
Desert of Dross

Some good ones in there.....I could come up with a few more for 'Highbury the Library', but I wouldn't want to disturb your sleep.....shhhh

:

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 5:33 pm

Wolves seem to have been making a habit of getting knocked out of cups by Arsenal in recent years.

Ever since Christopher Wreh (who?) scored that goal in the semi-final back in the 97/98 season....

no change this year then! At least we've still got the league to concentrate on