# A Football (Soccer) Discussion Thread Anyone? Anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429 "2004-08-31T15:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/81 "2004-09-29T13:03:08Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > If he plays like he did last night he’s worth the money (It’s £20m with additions for various things I believe - still lots and lots if you consider that Defoe cost £7m and Bobby Zamora (oh how we laughed), and Owen went for £8m. > > This football lark is all a bit much isn’t it? A few weeks ago we were third - now we’re in the bottom half of the table. We have three winnable games coming up (Everton (over reaching at the mo must come down to earth soon) Pompey (rubbish) and Bolton twice (in Carling cup too). > > Any thing less than six points from that lot must be considered a failure. > > p.s I can see the Wembley Arch from here - it’s very impressive. Wednesday the 27th for teh Carling Cup game. Glad it’s not Tuesday because that clashes with my pub sports league night. Bolton have West Brom and Crystal Palace next. West Brom have 2 defenders banned for that game. Ideally I would want to see 6 points from those games, which (if you do us a favor and beat Everton) should see us go third again. Gotta enjoy it while I can 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/82 "2004-09-29T21:39:23Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Rooney - Blimey! > > It’s proof positive that heavy drinking in pregnancy doesn’t harm the child - it just makes 'em look like Shrek. The transfer of Wayne “once a blue always a red devil” Rooney’s transfer to MU was so protracted and weighed down with BS that it was almost good to see him go. Overlooking the fact that we no longer have the most exciting player in the world on the books, :smack: it is refreshing that the Blues can just get on with football without the Boy overshadowing every little fucking thing. This is clearly working out well for EFC as of now. It is also nice not to have to support England anymore. Seeing him in action last night though, fuck. ing. hell. :eek: Jermain Defoe is a great player, **Mr owl** , in fact I’m trying to think of strikers obviously ahead of JD in the EPL and only really coming up with RVN and Henry. But lets face it, he couldn’t clean Roon’s boots. Wayne, with his dead shark eyes, is just playing a different game to everyone else. Hail King Roon, long may he reign. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/83 "2004-09-30T06:28:33Z")
Last night was a heartbreak. Two minutes from getting a point at San Siro. I just can’t believe it ☹ ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/84 "2004-09-30T08:32:15Z")
> [@Myler Keogh](#): > > The transfer of Wayne “once a blue always a red devil” Rooney’s transfer to MU was so protracted and weighed down with BS that it was almost good to see him go. Overlooking the fact that we no longer have the most exciting player in the world on the books, :smack: it is refreshing that the Blues can just get on with football without the Boy overshadowing every little fucking thing. This is clearly working out well for EFC as of now. It is also nice not to have to support England anymore. > > Seeing him in action last night though, fuck. ing. hell. :eek: > > Jermain Defoe is a great player, **Mr owl** , in fact I’m trying to think of strikers obviously ahead of JD in the EPL and only really coming up with RVN and Henry. But lets face it, he couldn’t clean Roon’s boots. Wayne, with his dead shark eyes, is just playing a different game to everyone else. > > Hail King Roon, long may he reign. That £20m might, just might, have ensured the survival of Everton - no player is bigger than their club (although Shearer appears to think differently) I agree that Rooney is in a league of his own at the moment - so where does this leave Owen? He’s been off the boil for a while now and defoe and Rooney are clearly much better. What chance the Swede realising this? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2004, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/85 "2004-09-30T08:42:14Z")
If I had to pick England’s team for the qualifiers next month, I’d pick: Robinson Neville G Ferdinand Campbell Cole Wright-Phillips Gerrard Lampard Bridge Rooney Defoe to start. If Gerrard is unfit, I’d go with Butt. Stick Beckham on the bench (for a free kick if a) we’re losing b) Rooney is not finding his range) with Owen (totally out of form). Anyone better than Bridge for left side of midfield? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/86 "2004-10-04T12:53:40Z")
What an about turn - Londoners robbing scousers! So that’s fifth place with four very winnable games coming up - all looking good. Sven has called up PHIL Neville (Gary I can just about understand, but PHIL?) He’s also kept that donkey James in the squad (why?). It wil be intersting to see which strikers he plays - I’m inclined to think he’ll stick with Owen (he is naturally a very cautious bloke), but I do hope we get to see Defoe and Rooney stuffing the Taffs. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/87 "2004-10-04T20:12:01Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > What an about turn - Londoners robbing scousers! > > So that’s fifth place with four very winnable games coming up - all looking good. > > Sven has called up PHIL Neville (Gary I can just about understand, but PHIL?) > > He’s also kept that donkey James in the squad (why?). > > It wil be intersting to see which strikers he plays - I’m inclined to think he’ll stick with Owen (he is naturally a very cautious bloke), but I do hope we get to see Defoe and Rooney stuffing the Taffs. Yeah, I have to give credit to the lilywhites here. It was a well ground-out victory ☹ I’m taking it in my stride though, we have no-one who knows how to put it in the old onion bag on any sort of regular basis, so 1-0 defeats will happen. What I’m not taking in my stride is Jamie Redknapp’s challenge on Tim Cahill 😕 Why does the archetypal midfield ponce choose to go in knee high on Tim Cahill of all people? Probably a hangover from his days as a redshite, when a visit to Goodison was a veil of tears for Jamie. Ah well, all grist to the mill for our visit to three-point lane later on in the season 🙂 Except it is not three-point lane for us, it’s probably our worst ground to visit in the premiership… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/88 "2004-10-04T20:43:03Z")
Good use of smilies Myler. You spread them all round the park, kept us guessing which one you were gonna play next and let fly with an unexpected smilie when we least expected it. You will go far with that sort of play. 😉 Anyone know why Northwich are on -4 points in the Conference? ---
**Author:** ![graememorrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/graememorrison/32/2287_2.png) [@graememorrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/graememorrison)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/89 "2004-10-04T21:54:07Z")
cause they are in [administration](http://news.bbc.co.uk/solpda/ukfs_sport/hi/newsid_3673000/3673054.stm) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/90 "2004-10-05T09:54:01Z")
> [@Myler Keogh](#): > > Yeah, I have to give credit to the lilywhites here. It was a well ground-out victory ☹ > > What I’m not taking in my stride is Jamie Redknapp’s challenge on Tim Cahill 😕 Why does the archetypal midfield ponce choose to go in knee high on Tim Cahill of all people? Probably a hangover from his days as a redshite, when a visit to Goodison was a veil of tears for Jamie. It’s been a very long time since the phrase “well ground out victory” was associated with our end of the seven sisters road. We’ll be singing “one nil to the tottenham” at this rate. Santini looks like the bloke who plays tackleberry in Police Academy (and is much funnier) > **[David Graf - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0333701/)** > > David Graf, Actor: Police Academy. David Graf was a Lancaster, Ohio native. He was a graduate of Lancaster High School in 1968. He went on to attend college at Otterbein University where he graduated in 1972 as a theater major. He attended Ohio State... As to Jamie - he has been charged with war crimes or some such by the FA and is looking at a ban. Fair enough - it was a dreadful tackle. He’s becoming quite a dirty player - I think it’s because he’s lost what pace he had and is struggling to stay in a stronger side than last season - we should have let him go inthe summer. He has got a lovely wife though. Also am I the only person who thinks it is appropriate that Man Utd are about to be bought by someone who’s never even been to Old Trafford - ie is typical of their “fanbase” (teenagers in singapore mainly) ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/91 "2004-10-05T10:02:42Z")
Crystal Palace have won a game!!! ::runs around whooping, tearing clothing off and dancing a jig:: We’re not even last in the table anymore. Please stay up, please stay up. :rolleyes: Sorry for the interruption. You may now continue chatting about good teams. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/92 "2004-10-05T10:13:50Z")
> [@Ithaka](#): > > Crystal Palace have won a game!!! > > ::runs around whooping, tearing clothing off and dancing a jig:: > > . That’s a bookable offense! ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/93 "2004-10-05T12:21:02Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Santini looks like the bloke who plays tackleberry in Police Academy (and is much funnier) Spot on! > [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Also am I the only person who thinks it is appropriate that Man Utd are about to be bought by someone who’s never even been to Old Trafford - ie is typical of their “fanbase” (teenagers in singapore mainly) One or two middle-aged southerners in Hong Kong too, I might add. At least some of the players were born and raised within a short radius of the ground, unlike some, ahem, London clubs I could mention…but won’t. Alright, my son? Know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/94 "2004-10-05T12:38:48Z")
Say no more guvnor! ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/95 "2004-10-05T13:20:02Z")
Owl’s Breaking news… Owen’s out - injured. Defoe starts with Shrek. (And if you’re wondering who the footballer in the internet rumour mongering is; It’s Matthew taylor at Portsmouth, if this means nothing to you then please move along as there is nothing to see here) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/96 "2004-10-10T16:06:37Z")
Well that was a relief. I can’t see even England screwing it up from here - Azerbaijan here we come. The three strikers thing is only going to work if they can be persuaded to pass to one another - especially Owen, selfish little mole that he is. Well done the paddies, or are the French team as ropey as I suspect? I suspect that there was great rejoicing in bookies throughout the land at Portugal 2 leichenstein 2. Also AFC Wimbledon won the second round of the FA trophy. Back down to earth on Monday - Fratton Park. Never a pleasant trip. I am also pleased to find out that there is a peruvian team called Wanka FC ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/97 "2004-10-10T18:41:15Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Well done the paddies, or are the French team as ropey as I suspect? Definitely not the team they were a few years ago, but Ireland earned the point. It’s not completely ridiculous to suggest it might have been three if Morrison hadn’t gone off injured, or if there’d been a genuine striker on the bench. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/98 "2004-10-11T08:40:48Z")
There aren’t many teams that could lose Zidane, Lizarazu and Makelele and not notice it, so I think maybe the French are on the way down. I still thought they’d be too strong for Ireland though. Is there anyone in the N Ireland team who would improve the ROI team? It seems that N Irish football has really gone down the pan. Blanchflower, Jennings, Best and now…? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/99 "2004-10-11T08:48:47Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > It seems that N Irish football has really gone down the pan. Blanchflower, Jennings, Best and now…? Um, is Iain Dowie still playing? ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429/100 "2004-10-11T12:38:05Z")
He’s managing Crystal Palace. I still have the picture of his greatest ever goal, where he rose like a salmon to fire in a perfect header from a corner. Unfortunately, it was in into his own net. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-football-soccer-discussion-thread-anyone-anyone/262429.md?page=6)