The free subscription also helps :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Printable View
The free subscription also helps :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
And prey what way do we think the DG of the BBC and the BBC's board lean?Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Getting back on topic. How many goals do you think Haaland will finish with this season?
He's on 39 so far after last night's 5 in the champions league (!!).
I reckon 49.
The atmosphere was so dead at that Man City match last night. 6 goals up and it was like a crowd at a Schoolboy International.
I remember when Maine Road was one of the liveliest (and scariest) grounds to go to.
With success comes the inevitable "prawn sandwich brigade" of people who are just there to be entertained - imagine!
When they were 6-0 up against us at the weekend, you could still hear the Burnley Fans above the City fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Up to 30 minutes all went well and we were getting a foothold in the game. You could see some of them starting to get agitated.
A couple of lapses of concentration you'd normally get away with in the Championship and we are 2-0 down and then they're cruising and relaxed.
Some lessons learned I think.
I watched most of the Man U - Fulham tie yesterday.
I feel a bit sorry for Fulham.
Yes it was handball. I think what Willian was trying to get across that he was trying to draw in his hand, by the hand gestures we saw on camera.
I didn't see intent to handle. He was just running in to try and block.
So penalty yes, but a red card is really unfair.
After that they lost it and that can't be excused, but without the Willian red card, the rest would not have happened.
I don't miss VAR in the Championship. It's been a pleasure to celebrate a goal when they go in.
I would get rid of it. It's shown in the last few weeks that even with it, wrong decisions are still made.
Atmosphere at the Rome Derby yesterday was phenomenal.... just will never get that level in England.
Roma vs Lazio about a decade ago remains one of the highlights for me of following football.... although i still think the atmosphere/spectacle of a big game at the San Siro tops it....
If anyone was in any doubt of Harry Kane’s penchant for a dive, just watch his delayed reaction to a slap by an Everton player last night. ������������������
An Oscar winning performance. What a tosser.
Mmmh. I've never associated Harry Kane with the word penchant but perhaps I have underestimated his level of sophistication?:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Having watched a season in the EFL I only know the name of one referee.
Keith Stroud.
And today Travs will be doing his fruit over Stroud. I've rarely seen as blatant a penalty not given, as the one Coventry should have had with 10 minutes left to play and possibly capped a tremendous comeback had they converted it.
He isn't really fit to ref at any level.
I'm not going to complain too vociferously, as its still preferable to death by VAR....
But yes, anywhere else on the pitch that gets given without hesitation.
Just a bit regretful that a draw did nothing for us... really i think it was win or bust today.... that said, being 3-0 up at home to Swansea with 20mins to go and drawing 3-3 was the one that i'll look back on this season where we really messed up.
Keith Stroud?Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Is he the vertically challenged one who marches about the pitch in a Captain Mainwaringesque way?
I can see where you're coming from, but I was thinking more a combination of Jeremy Hardy and Agent Smith.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
I haven't been controversial for a while so here goes.
Commentators and pundits and in particular the rise of women involved in the coverage of Mens football.
I've just watched 2 nights of Prem football.
Leicester - Everton on Monday. I believe it was Pien Meulensteen as lead commentator with Alan Smith as side-kick.
Where I struggle is when the excitement builds, so particularly around goals. Her pitch rose and it lacks the weight of a male voice and also her higher pitch seems to blend in with the crowd noise.
At times I could hear she was speaking, but couldn't make out what she was saying, in particular around the time of the Leicester goals.
Arsenal - Chelsea - Rob Hawthorne was commentator with Carragher and Karen Carney as side-kicks. Now Carragher also has an at times high pitched whiney scouse voice and it doesn't half grate.
In Karen's case, again it just doesn't stand out - althhough it doesn't grate like Carragher.
There are some super women sports presenters. Clare Balding is probably my favourite and in football Kelly Cates (ne Dalglish) is excellent.
But it doesn't work for me in the commentary box for football and at times it seems like particularly Sky are deliberately shoe-horning in women to help their DE&I score.
Working out all the permutations of how tomorrow's football may pan out. It will probably come down to goal difference on who makes the play-offs so could do with Coventry losing significantly to help out the baggies ( assuming they beat Swansea of course).
Sorry, Travs!
Millwall will be in the Premier League next season.
You heard it here first!
Coventry need a point.
A loss puts it in the hands of how Millwall/Sunderland/WBA do.
Blackburn could still do it with a win, interestingly they play Millwall.
I think its two from Cov Sunderland Millwall.... worryingly if we lose i don't see enough teams slipping up and i think we'll miss out.
I do think whoever makes the final couple of playoff places have every chance of then making the premier league
Oh well, nevermind. I listened to the match on the radio as we have no sky. and although other results didn't go out way anyway, to lose with the last kick of the game sort of summed up our season. At least the vast quantities of curry I made to take my mind somewhat off the football was successful!
(Bombay potatoes, makhani dhal and roast tomato and aubergine curry in case you are interested!)
Hope Coventry do well but Middlesbrough and Luton will be tough to beat.
It was very tense.... i had Sunderland on TV and City on the radio.
5 mins before half time we were in the playoffs with a 5 point cushion. 5 mins after half time we were a goal away from being out of it!
I don't see us beating Middlesborough over two legs.
Ah well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
But what about Wolves being one of the few clubs to have been bottom (literally bottom) of the Premiership at Christmas and surviving (almost comfortably) :)
(WBA 2004/5, Sunderland 2013/14, Leicester 2014/15)
Ah yes - the "great escape". I remember it well to this day. We had been on holiday in Wales and spent the journey home trying to find any radio station that had the football on. At the start of the second half we arrived in Worcestershire and finally got a more partisan broadcast. The last 30 minutes or so was so tense, we found a playground for the kids and listened as the events played out, running around like mad things ourselves as the final, final whistle blew.
Moving on and given our situation this last Christmas, I would have been grateful for Corberan to save the Baggies from relegation but under his guidance and the positivity he brings, it seems like we failed by not making the playoffs. Anyway, with the financial issues surrounding the club and a fair few players no doubt departing soon, it will be interesting to see where we are come August. In Carlos, we trust....
Are you going to be on your way to Wembley tomorrow Travs?
Yes, big day tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Can't call it.... Luton arguably favourites due to league position and they seem to be a massive bogey-team for us....
But i think all of that is out the window now and i do fancy us to sneak it... although i do think it will be low scoring, possibly extra time.
After last nights run I sat down with my tea and watched the Plymouth Argyle v Leeds FA cup tie.
It was a great match to watch in horrible conditions. The best part was the refereeing display. He let the match flow and allowed some physicality in the tackle. The players realised this, respected his decisions and just got on with it. The Linesmen also played their part by flagging any offside immeadiately which again was respected by the players who offered no dissent.
And why was this possible. No VAR. The sooner it is got rid of the better.
I have never been a referee but I would imagine it to be a far better experience without the weight of VAR perched on ones shoulder.
Got to agree with you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
WE have had two recent VARs which seems to indicate that VAR can change the may that laws are interpreted.
The Luton equaliser at Burnley in injury time a few weeks back saw their striker clearly move towards the keeper to block him from catching the cross that was heading for his strike partners head.
It was a move from American football, that the majority of pundits thought was a foul, but a few suggested "the keeper has to be stronger"
To which I would ask "by doing what?" Throwing said striker to the ground?
The law is clear, if you are not playing the ball you cannot impede the progress of another player and I have copied the relevant part opf Law 12 below.
It wasn't a one-off though as Everton used the same blocking tactics against Spurs on Saturday. They repeatedly moved a player in to the path of the keeper as the corner/free-kick was being taken and it led to their first goal.
I agree VAR has to go - I think Referee mindset has changed, believing in both these cases that if they have made an error, the VAR ref will correct it, but then we get in to the "clear and obvious" and errors are not always corrected.
Impeding the progress of an opponent without contact
Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path
to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not
within playing distance of either player.
All players have a right to their position on the field of play; being in the way
of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an opponent.
A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the
ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with
the arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly
charged by an opponent.
Coventry march on, and assuming we dispatch Maidstone*, should be in the quarter finals....
* a very big assumption, given our record against non/lower league league sides.
Amazing the change a few years can make. We've now got one of the highest away followings in the division.... wanted to go to Stoke away in a couple of weeks and absolutely no chance of getting a ticket without being a season-ticket holder.... all 2600 tickets gone well before they made it to general sale.
How's Bobby Thomas doing? Really rated him and sad to see him leave Turf on the cheap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Yeah he's settled really well. Him and Kitching from Barnsley have really boosted our defence (which was pretty solid anyway).
Will you be watching tonight's match from behind the settee Travs or are you going? ;)
Just got home from the gym and a run... even CCFC are not permitted to disrupt my training!Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
As i don't own a tv i'll not be watching, but i'll be keeping a close eye on the score.
A good result for the sky blues tonight. Hopefully we can reverse that scoreline the on Friday! ;)
With a full turnout from the family at the Hawthorns, how can we fail?
Last time i went West Brom away it was 5-0 to WBA.....!
And aren't Wolves doing well...Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Until they get us in the Quarter Finals.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
We don't mention that lot...Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Incidentally, I noted that this is the 4th match where the baggies have been on live television in the last 4 weeks and twice in the last 7 days. Doesn't seem to be right or are TV schedulers finding some entertainment value I'm finding difficult to see?
Its a recurring issue among a lot of championship teams this year. And it'll only get worse next year as the new tv deal comes into force.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
We've had an absolute dearth of home saturday 3pm kickoffs, and depending on the cup draw, i think there's potential that we won't play another home 3pm saturday fixture for the rest of the season.
Sunderland fans also complaining loudly about it.... really is ridiculous for example when they had to play away at Ipswich at 5:30 on a saturday evening, or get moved for a distant away game at midday.
Although its been a long time since the authorities gave any regard for the real fans.... more bothered about coining it in from fans watching from abroad on tv.
Yes Hull or Ipswich for a 12:30 is a big ask if you are a WM fan.
While you are on the subject, 3pm Saturday (or maybe an hour or two earlier) is also a good start time for fell races, for those of us for whom every fell race is an away fixture. The most distant fell race to which I have ever travelled there and back within the day from Loughborough is Pen-y-Ghent: start time 3pm on Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Yes.... the low cost of fell race entry has been more than overshadowed by the amount of accommodation costs i've incurred pre and post races.
I have done races in Snowdonia, and even the Lake District, there and back in a day from Cov, although it is not pleasant and i would usually book at least a night stay, if not two.
I think the longest jaunt i've done for a single football match is Caen vs St Etienne in the French League.
Drove down to Portsmouth friday lunchtime, night ferry to Caen, match on the saturday, night in a hotel, then ferry back on the sunday. That was some weekend!
Have done a number of trips to Italy for football... best one was a week staying in Milan where i caught a number of games across north and middle Italy (including two in one day which required some very rushed rail and metro connections!)