The Soccer Thread (Version 10)

It's not our fault, we just took their money!

 

Three straight full afternoons of midweek matches. Us Watford folk are on the Newcastle and Spurs bandwagons today. Though if Brighton get the full three today, Gulls start looking safer and safer.

 

10 years ago today. Watched it in a packed bar in Manhattan where we had to reserve spots. I remember just that sinking feeling all game — we had already been screwed out of the winning goal the game before after a great comeback to tie. First Jozy and then Dempsey missed great chances.

In that last sequence, Algeria had a real chance to score with an open header. As soon as you catch your breath, the ball is 60 yards down the field and Donovan took a slightly heavy first touch, which maybe the defender has the wheels earlier in the game to try to attack. Instead, the defender hesitated, which allowed Donovan to take another touch and find Jozy in space. The bundle of emotion between the pass, the saved shot and before you could finish your groan, the goal by Landon.

And just a great, great call by Ian Darke.

 

Our watering hole opened at 10 a.m. that day for that one ... and we were all just absolutely devastated until that moment. Pure euphoria in there. So much damn fun. Then we went and played 18 afterward celebrating and pounding beers the whole time. Probably shot 120 but didn't care one bit.

 

I remember that one. I was in Jakarta at the time -- they decided to only show the World Cup over the air and I couldn't get my hands on a pair of rabbit ears. I was stuck watching the England-Slovenia game at a hotel bar and grimacing while refreshing the Guardian's match tracker. Donovan's goal was more relief than euphoria for me, but I admit I'm a strange bird when it comes to USMNT games.

 

I was home with our 1-year-old. When the ball hit the net, I unleashed a primal yell that caused her to bawl for about 20 minutes.

 

I was at Kauffman watching it on a TV in the concourse.

 

I see Huddersfield is just barely clear of the relegation zone in the Championship. Anybody know the last time a team was relegated in successive seasons? Seems like it shouldn't happen that often.

 

Didn't that happen to Sunderland just a couple of years ago?

 

Yep, you are correct. I'm still a relative newbie to the PL, so thanks for that catch.

 

I'm in the same boat. The only reason I know that is thanks to the Sunderland Til I Die series on Netflix. I highly recommend it.