The Soccer Thread (Version 7.0)

As much as I despise Arsenal, what a game.

 

Check that.

7-5.

 

The Gunners are dead meat when they run up against Leeds United. Leeds beat Southampton 3-0.

Southampton fielded a weakened team. So weakened, I think they dug Marian Pahars, Matt Le Tissier, Kevin Keegan and Mick Channon up to wear the red, white and black.

 

Though he only played for them for a few seasons, somewhere Kevin Phillips feels left out.

 

Isn't he at Blackpool now?

I associate Phillips with Sunderland more so than the Saints.

 

Yeah, you're right, he is at Blackpool. For some reason I thought he retired.

 

With the dawn of beIN Sport, I can now watch the weekly Football League highlight show, so I know these things. Also at Blackpool is Paul Ince's son, Mike.

Yes, I fully realize the above sentences make me a looser beyond hope.

 

It actually increased my mancrush on you by .035 of a percentage point.

FA Cup first round is this weekend right? Oh I hope whichever network airing is in some 400-seater with traffic zooming by as a fourth division team hosts a Premier League team's reserves.

 

The beIN Football League show does highlights from all of the Championship matches, but it also gives League 1 and League 2 about 30 seconds each. You see pre-Taylor Report grounds that are from another time. It's just odd to see terracing in this day and age.

During the international break, they exclusively showed League 1 and League 2 since the Championship took the weekend off. It was super cool. Go Burton Brewers!

 

Burton Albion, they would have you know.

Actually went there a couple weekends ago. Neat little place. Friendly enough. And Burton is the capital of the English beer industry, I learned. Had a couple of very tasty pints.

Sadly, even in Leagues One and Two, the old-style grounds are slowly dying away to be replaced by paint-by-numbers new builds. Typically all-seater, as well. Although Burton's ground is less than 20 years old and still terraced at both ends.

But you have to dip down to at least Conference level, and more probably Conference North/South, before you get to change ends at halftime.

Also, no Premier League sides in the first and second rounds. Premier League and Championship come in at the third round. The TV games here at least are Cambridge City v. MK Dons, Dorchester Town v. Plymouth Argyle and Braintree Town v. Tranmere Rovers. If they're anything like they were a couple years ago, give Braintree a miss. Bunch of diving, whining, referee-intimidating assholes.

 

Good stuff about the Chicago Fire's Arne Friedrich:

http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/story/2012-10-30/german-legend-arne-friedrich-reignites-his-fire-in-chicago?modid=recommended_1_5

 

I think you probably know why I like Burton Albion. The Brewers? Half the color scheme of the Milwaukee Brewers? Sign me up!