All-Purpose, Never-Ending Soccer Thread

Good point, I remember that match -- essentially gave Porto the Champions League; Monaco was no match that day.

 

Aside from the result, the other interesting thing to come out of the West Ham-Spurs game was Alan Curbishley saying after the game that he could get the sack at the end of the season. It was quickly refuted by West Ham's ownership today.

To me, I think Curbishley did a clever thing here. He said "I could be sacked" so that he could find out where he stood with management. Silence here would confirm his thoughts, but they did what he expected and came out in full support, adding that they thought he came into a bad situation and would be given resources over the summer to revamp the team.

Smart man that Curbishley.

 

Correction: Beckham will only be out a month, or cuatro semanas.

From www.marca.com:
José Antonio Reyes y David Beckham sufren un esguince de rodilla, en la pierna izquierda y derecha respectivamente, y estarán un mes de baja, como confirmaron los doctores madridistas tras la exploración radiológica realizada horas después de caer lesionados ante el Getafe.

Las pruebas médicas realizadas por los galenos madridistas a primera hora de la tarde de este lunes a Reyes y Beckham, han desvelado que no sufren rotura de ningún ligamento pero que tienen un esguince por el que deberán parar un mes.

El extremo andaluz sufre un esguince de grado I-II del ligamento lateral interno de su rodilla izquierda, tras caer lesionado en un choque con el portero argentino "Pato" Abbondanzieri. Beckham se dañó la rodilla derecha, en la que sufre un esguince de grado II del ligamento lateral interno, y los médicos estiman un periodo de recuperación de cuatro semanas.

 

en ingles?

 

There can be no doubting of the calibre of US keepers in the premiership and Hahnneman at Reading should be mentioned in that company above Tim Howard who I still think will make it in the premiership. Historically it is the European keepers who have always been known as punchers with the football. English keepers had a very different mentality and preferred to catch the ball.

To say that these keepers can't catch I think misses the point a little. I think keepers are afraid to catch because of the aerodynamics and the behaviour of the lighter, smoother surfaced ball.

Robert Green did what he could on Sunday deflecting a low driven shot across the face of goal to where he could.

 

Reyes hurt his left knee, Beckham hurt his right. No break or ligament damage, but both will be out a month.

 

I thought the smoother funkier ball was dropped after the World Cup? Maybe not.

Either way, we'll agree to disagree on Green's efforts. He should have caught/covered/smothered that ball--it's the difference between champions/winners and relegation.

 

grassyass

 

No you are correct about the world cup ball but the evolution of the football over the last 5 years or so has certainly not been in the interests of making it more catchable or savable.

You might be right about Green, I personally think his job is harder than it looks because the angle he needs to shut down and the numbers joining the attack in support. Greasy conditions and a low driven ball across the face of goal it's a difficult ask of him

 

Does Porto have a shot at Chelsea? Can Liverpool hold off Barca?
These games will be fascinating this week.

 

As a former keeper, I think Green did all he could with that. Sure, we can wonder why he didn't clutch it. But his reaction is to just make the first save. Based on numbers alone, he had to pull a rabbit out of a hat to keep from giving up a goal.

That said, I went to some keeper camps when I was in college run by English guys. They'd get bothered by how much I'd catch the ball. They want me to parry the ball over the crossbar on high balls, while I'd catch it. I loathed giving up corners.

 

I don't think Liverpool are in the clear just yet. There is only perhaps two teams capable at this stage of pulling back that sort of deficit. Barcelona and (only as it is Liverpool) Man Utd. That said there is a lot of political stuff going on at Barca which could galvanise them or rip them apart.

The issue Liverpool has is where they line up with Gerrard. One of the five top central midfielders in the world and yet he is playing on the right for both club and country and as the stats show, he does not score and the team do not score when he plays there. If Liverpool provide no attacking outlet they could be sat holding on for dear life and be overwhelmed by the attacking onslaught. I fully expect to see Jamie Carragher go down with cramp in his calves tonight as he chases shadows for 90 minutes.

Porto..... Not a chance in hell (I say this in the hope that I have put a jinx on Chelsea though)