c4countdown

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Should this have been a penalty? I genuinely can't decide.

I almost bit

Seriously though, WTF is going on there? What's the defender thinking? That the ball had gone out of play, or in the goal or something?

Jon Corby wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Should this have been a penalty? I genuinely can't decide.

I almost bit

Seriously though, WTF is going on there? What's the defender thinking? That the ball had gone out of play, or in the goal or something?

Maybe she doesn't know the rules of football very well, like when Zaire played in the World Cup. Funny times.

Jon Corby wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:

Jon Corby wrote:Should this have been a penalty? I genuinely can't decide.

I almost bit

Seriously though, WTF is going on there? What's the defender thinking? That the ball had gone out of play, or in the goal or something?

Never mind what the defender was thinking, what was the ref thinking?.

Liam Tiernan wrote:Never mind what the defender was thinking, what was the ref thinking?.

She didn't see it, so nothing.

Matt Morrison wrote:

Liam Tiernan wrote:Never mind what the defender was thinking, what was the ref thinking?.

She IS A WOMAN, so nothing.

Fixed that for you.

Edit: You're such a fucking sexist. You're as sexist as women.

Should Sky reinstate Andy Gray and Richard Keys on the strength of this shambles?

Also, how the fuck did she miss from there? Proof that women shouldn't be on the football pitch apart from as half-time entertainment.

I've been enjoying the Women's World Cup. I guess it helps being an Arsenal fan, as our ladies' team win everything, so I've been watching the women's game for a while.

While I get that you are all being ironic, this here is a nice counterpoint nonetheless.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14029817.stm

And the new season is upon us... I'm off to my first pre-season friendly on Saturday and I can't wait.

You see some great goals in the Women's World Cup because the keepers are so bad. I have no idea why that might be the case, but it is.

Jon O'Neill wrote:You see some great goals in the Women's World Cup because the keepers are so bad. I have no idea why that might be the case, but it is.

Yea in particular anything hit 2 foot or less below the crossbar tends to result in a goal.

Martyn Simpson wrote:And the new season is upon us... I'm off to my first pre-season friendly on Saturday and I can't wait.

Oh gods, I was just getting into enjoying the off-season and access to rugby in the pub without football being on at the same time.

Jon Corby wrote:Should Sky reinstate Andy Gray and Richard Keys on the strength of this shambles?

Jon O'Neill wrote:You see some great goals in the Women's World Cup because the keepers are so bad. I have no idea why that might be the case, but it is.

I knew someone would say that. It still required a great finish. The standard of goalkeeping has, however, been better than in the last world cup.

I expect women's football to be different to men's football. Women are different to men. They're generally shorter and less physically powerful. Therefore goalkeepers are shorter and strikers less able to hit powerful shots. Both factors mean you're more likely to see chipped long range shots. It's the same in tennis. Women can't hit such powerful serves, so there are more breaks of serve, so the best players are more likely to run away with sets. I don't see that as inferior; I see it as different.

What I find most fascinating about women's football is the idea of taking football and starting over. Football's world order is long established in the men's game. In the women's it's still developing. Germany got a head start on everyone in terms of organisation and are the best around, with the USA and Sweden not far behind. The likes of England, France and Brazil are catching up, while other big football countries like Spain and Argentina are still comparative minnows.

Martin Bishop wrote:I don't see that as inferior; I see it as different.

It is both different and inferior.

Oliver Garner wrote:Check out my work experience at Opta

Nice one

(So if I send you £££ you can get me insider sports stats? Getting them myself is such a pain...)

So, pre-season has begun - we (Tonbridge Angels) got absolutely annihilated by Brentford 10 - 0 in a friendly yesterday. Embarrassing, even given the 3 league difference and that they're full-time professionals - we drew 0 - 0 against them in last season's friendly! Hopefully this isn't indicative of how we'll perform in the league...

UCD beat Villareal 4-3 yesterday. Unbelievable Jeff.

Andy Wilson wrote:UCD beat Villareal 4-3 yesterday. Unbelievable Jeff.

Just reading up on this and it seems they beat a decent starting 11 too. Not only this, but the club had the good sense to give away 2,000 tickets, in the hope to attract new fans. Fair play.

Andy Wilson wrote:UCD beat Villareal 4-3 yesterday. Unbelievable Jeff.

Quality. Can't believe I only heard about this now. Probably would've gone. Ah well, I have a nice Europa League match to look froward to on Thursday with the super Saints. Bit unlucky not to get a result in the away leg but the away goal should stand us in good stead. Then, if we get through, we'll have another gruelling away trip. First we got Iceland, then Kazakhstan and now it'll be Ukraine. UEFA are taking the piss.

Mark James wrote:

Andy Wilson wrote:UCD beat Villareal 4-3 yesterday. Unbelievable Jeff.

Quality. Can't believe I only heard about this now. Probably would've gone.

Maybe if you read a newspaper now and again , you might have seen it.

Best of luck Mark. Only spotted it myself during the week. Was thinking of trying to get the night off myself and head up (think of the craic you'd have with yellow submarine parodies), didn't realise it was so soon and had no idea about the ticket giveaway, which seems to have been a last minute decision. They must have sold few tickets. Less than 2,000 turned up at the cross to see Birmingham play Cork on Saturday also, another game that would have passed me by had a couple of fans not book in for the night at work. The Blues took it 1-0, not a great game it seems. The game at Belfield was a bit of a cracker though it seems. Delighted. Maybe inject a bit of life into their season. Players surely have a spring in their step after that.

I may be just speaking to myself, but the women's world cup final was amazing. Two late equalisers from Japan, in normal and then extra time. They were helped by sloppy American defending, but it was great to see such a previously unfancied team win on penalties through guts and near flawless passing. It's a shame everyone was watching the apprentice instead. Women's football is developing faster than I had imagined and who'd have guessed Japan would become the female version of Spain, in terms of technique and results?

Martin Bishop wrote:I may be just speaking to myself, but the women's world cup final was amazing. Two late equalisers from Japan, in normal and then extra time. They were helped by sloppy American defending, but it was great to see such a previously unfancied team win on penalties through guts and near flawless passing. It's a shame everyone was watching the apprentice instead. Women's football is developing faster than I had imagined and who'd have guessed Japan would become the female version of Spain, in terms of technique and results?

I watched it Martin and agree. It was ace. I love penalty shoot-outs. And then Brazil lost in another penalty shoot-out later that night. I was in my element. But yeah, the women's game has improved so much. The only thing that lets it down are the quality of the goalkeepers and the fact that the concept of fowl throws seems to have been done away with.

Mark James wrote:fowl throws

I tried to find a picture of furious women hounding the ref or something, so I could do an "Angry Birds" gag, but my extensive 45 second Google Image search drew a blank. So that's clearly an area of their game that needs work as well.

Good posts Wilson and Corby.

Andy Wilson wrote:

Mark James wrote:fowl throws

Oops. My excuse was I was tired. Anyway, what's everyone's thoughts on the guy getting fined for taking a back-heeled penalty kick? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KaaVgWaesI Apparently it counts as ungentlemanly conduct. I think it's a bit harsh. We watch football to be entertained and I thought it was entertaining.

Mark James wrote:Oops. My excuse was I was tired. Anyway, what's everyone's thoughts on the guy getting fined for taking a back-heeled penalty kick? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KaaVgWaesI Apparently it counts as ungentlemanly conduct. I think it's a bit harsh. We watch football to be entertained and I thought it was entertaining.

No, I can't see what the problem is either. I didn't find it particularly entertaining as it wasn't really well hit, and should have been saved easily by the keeper, but I don't get the fuss. If anything it was more sporting because it gave the keeper a really good chance to save it, rather than twatting it as hard as you can into the corner

It's the equivalent of saying "I'll stick with an eight" when your opponent declares a four at 90-0 in the 13th round.

Yes! 2-0 on the night, 3-2 on aggregate and the Super Saints are in the next round. Looks like I may very well be planning a trip to the Ukraine. What a performance though. Also it seems the referees don't give a shit about "fowl" throws in the Europa league either. Karagandy had loads but the ref only penalised one or two.

Nice one Mark. Just befriended the founder of the Colchester United supporters club, for Norway. Damn nice bloke too. Owns a season ticket and made 16 games traveling from Norway last year.

Anyone watching the Wimbledon - Bristol Rovers match at the moment? Good game - Rovers were dominant at first and went 2 0 up in the first 20 minutes courtesy of some amateur Dons errors, but Wimbledon have come back to equalise. Some lovely bits of play from both teams. Also, on a Tonbridge-related note (I always find one!), our captain from the 09/10 season, Lee Minshull, has come on as a substitute for the Dons. We were only playing AFC in the league a few seasons ago - their rapid ascent up the league structure is just indicative of what can be achieved with money and a serious grudge!

I'm so glad the new season is here. Saturdays just became fun again

I don't know where I stand. My team, St Patrick's Athletic, had a match in the Europa league the other night. It was their third match in the competition after gruelling away trips to Iceland and Kazakhstan and a first leg in the Ukraine. Hours before the match the players say they are refusing to play as they feel they haven't got adequate bonuses for their previous effort. Bear in mind these are part time players who have to take time off work in order to travel and play in away games across Europe and usually have to pay who ever covers for them in their day job out of their own pocket. The thing is though, we weren't due to play in Europe this season but the team that was, went out of business so we took their place but the club hadn't really been budgeted for playing in Europe. The players had been given an offer which they refused as they said because the club gets increased prize money for each round we progressed their bonus should be increased. I've heard figures mentioned but don't want to say them here as they're unconfirmed. The players also insist the demands were modest and that despite having to use part of the prize money to travel to these quite difficult to get to places (UEFA need to regionalize these qualifying stages but that's another days work) the club would still be in profit. So I kinda sympathise with the players. However, had the game not gone ahead, we would have been fined by UEFA, banned from Europe for however many years and would have had to pay compensation to the other team, in other words, NO MORE ST. PATRICK'S ATHLETIC. Even the club chairman threatened to walk away from the club. In the end the players demands were met and the game went ahead. Rumours abound that certain supporters had given money to the club to make up the difference for what the layers were asking for. Needless to say the atmosphere at the game was mixed with some booing the players and others trying to get them to stop. At times no one seemed to be even watching the match just rowing with each other. So while I sympathise with the players I think threatening to not play was a bad move. It seems to have removed a lot of good feeling that had been built up during the season between the team and the supporters. We're still in with a shout to win the league, I just hope the whole affair hasn't ruined it and that the players minds are still in the right place.

Not long got back from Burscough 2-1 Vauxhall Motors, in a game far more entertaining that you'd probably imagine, with Burscough's Kevin Leadbetter scoring an absolute 'worldie'

Last night I went to Hyde 1-4 Manchester City EDS - a side containing Nedum Onuoha, Craig Bellamy, and a lot of players named Mancini. City never got out of first gear really. Hyde did try and play, but were never close to making a game of it.

Chester v Hyde on Tuesday night for me next.

UP THE MIGHTY TERRIERS!!!!

Nice to have a league win at last.

Three games in, this table is so much better than I thought it'd look... Aside from the fact that the Angels are 6th, having scored the most goals in the league ( ), my closest team to uni (Truro) are unbeaten and joint top. Ironically, bottom of the table Eastleigh are a full time team. Doesn't look like it's doing them much good - we twatted them 4-0 today. Admittedly they went down to 9 men, but we were totally dominant from the beginning.
Not expecting the table to look like this at the end of the season, but it's a good start!

How the hell can Eastleigh sustain full time football?

Absolutely no idea. In any case, it's really not paying off because they were crap!!

I'm really into this season and massively hooked on fantasy football. I've wanted to post on this thread a few times over the last while but haven't had the time. I especially thought Mark's post about the St. Pat's strike was worthy of a discussion, but I guess that's all water under the bridge now. Anyway, it's taken a youtube video from St. Pat's most famous ever player and perhaps Ireland's greatest ever player, to bring me back here and to give this thread a well needed bump.

Enjoy.

Thanks for that, Andy.

His autobiography is a gripping, albeit harrowing, read.

Worth some watch:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodispl ... -15493033/
http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodispl ... -15494517/

Any Irish fans want to discuss handball decisions this morning?

Yeah, that was poorly judged by the ref alright. I felt quite sorry for the keeper and then for the poor lad who turned it into his own goal not long later. We were gifted that win last night. Was pretty nervous going into the game to be honest on recent form for both sides. I watched the coverage on RTE and Giles, Dunphy and Brady spent most of the half time break debating both handball incidents and couldn't agree on whether either were 'conclusive'. Then I watched the Scotland game on BBC2 and the round up from Dublin told it like it was, a Cox handball followed by a chest from the keeper, resulting in a sending off for the keeper.

Anyway, we're in a play off and we're seeded this time as well so it's either Bosnia-H, Montenegro, Estonia or Turkey, who stand between us and a first major finals since 2002. A few people mentioned France and the possibility of another meeting and I must admit I was rooting for Bosnia to top that group, although had they done so, we would be unseeded and looking at Czech, Portugal, France or Croatia so I think things worked out ok.

Perhaps if we make it we might get drawn in their group

Subject: The C4C Football Thread

Liam Tiernan wrote:I'd be ashamed if Ireland went through to the finals this way, and a lot of Irish people would feel the same way.

I know you're only in the play-offs and not the finals, but how much shame are you feeling right now? On a scale of 1-10 maybe?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... erry-henry It even says ARM in the picture.

Andy Wilson wrote:http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog ... erry-henry It even says ARM in the picture.

That's a hilariously weak counter. There's no distinction (wrt football law) between "controlling with the hand" and "controlling with the arm". But still, if somebody used the word "arm" in the picture, then .... er, yeah, what point are you making?

Edit: having just read the article now, it's utter, utter gash.

Edit 2: Ah wait, you mean "ARM" as in the score caption, rather than the wording under the picture? The article's still utter shite though.

Yeah, sorry, it is a bit shit isn't it. Wasn't an attempt to counter anyway, I just spotted it shortly after reading your post. Point well made in fairness. It was pointed out to me that Ronnie Whelan on RTE's commentary actually said 'I don't care' when asked if he thought Cox had handled it. In two years time everyone will still remember Thierry but not so many will remember yesterday. Yes, different circumstances to extra time in a play off heading for a penalty shoot out, but we were gifted that game yesterday. We've been a bit lucky for a while now. I hope our luck hasn't run out before the play offs.

Andy Wilson wrote:I hope our luck hasn't run out before the play offs.

Certainly not before the draw was made anyway. Estonia, first leg away, is the best draw that we could have asked for.

Andy Wilson wrote:

Andy Wilson wrote:I hope our luck hasn't run out before the play offs.

Certainly not before the draw was made anyway. Estonia, first leg away, is the best draw that we could have asked for.

Definitely, really would love to see them make a proper finals stage. I only have vague memories of Matt Holland's goal against Cameroon in 2002 and the loss to Spain.

Aye, that was long before the recession, when I had a full head of hair.

And everyone in Ireland knows someone they can stay with in Poland now.

BELIEVE

Andy Wilson wrote:

BELIEVE

BELIEVE?

Heroic night.

Fantastic result. Delighted for Given, Dunne and Duff and the likes who deserve to experience another major tournament. I did feel sorry for the Estonian's with us celebrating like the tie was over already at the half way mark. An early goal on Tuesday could re-ignite tie, but surely very unlikely that we can throw it away from here.

In other news, Jonathan Walters' handlebar moustache.

One of the most (least) impressive dives I've seen in a long time:

It's still nothing compared to that Pedersen dive against Arsenal a couple of seasons ago. That was just superb.

An awful day for football today, Togo team hit with another tragedy and Gary Speed hung himself. RIP.