# English Premier League and Football in General **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867 "2005-02-01T22:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 28
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/541 "2005-04-12T09:59:05Z")
> [@garius](#): > > Sadly i was out all Saturday so didn’t listen to the footie or catch MOTD. > > Nearly pissed myself laughing when i was reading the paper in the cafe on Sunday though and saw the result. > > According to the lads in the pub last night, ManUre didn’t play badly and controlled most of the game, they were just poor in attack and couldn’t break down a spirited Norwich defence. Norwich then caught them out with a decent set piece and grabbed a second on the break whilst ManUre were still a bit dazed. > > Ferguson threw on some big names after that in an effort to salvage the game but to no avail (Van Nistlerooy is still firing blanks). Two mistakes by Rooney, basically. First goal came from a free-kick following a Rooney foul. Second goal arrived after Rooney was muscled off the ball in the middle of the park, three quick passes and a volley into an empty net 🙂 Man Utd didn’t have any fire - reckon they assumed it’d be a walk in the park, whereas Norwich were proper up for it. Everton game was DIRE - appaling football all round, especially first half. Goals were well worked though but the new kid’s nothing special… decent enough finish, got in a good position, but he’s no Rooney 😉 Going to be a v. good relegation fight this year - still a few teams possible for the drop… ---
**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:** [April 12, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/542 "2005-04-12T10:03:20Z")
> [@e-logic](#): > > Going to be a v. good relegation fight this year - still a few teams possible for the drop… Just three out of four. Are Soton going to do a Forest and go down though they’re too good to go down, I wonder? Anyway, I hope Only One Bryan Robson’s Baggies stay up, though I’m a great 'Arry fan as well. Pity Blackburn, Birmingham (both managed by United old boys, mind you), Fulham. Pompey and Tottenham (hah!) have drawn clear of the zone. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/543 "2005-04-13T12:19:52Z")
Bloody keyboard warriors (or given location keyboard Samuris!) Chelsea got a bit of a fright but got through - and seem bent on a course of annoying UEFA (which I am quite enjoying. It must be great to be able to do what you like knowing that you can, at worst, be fined, and have bottomless pockets). It’ll be interesting to see what UEFA does to the Inter Milan fans got their game called off. Not much, I cynically suspect. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/544 "2005-04-13T13:44:08Z")
I’m more interested in what happens at the Juve/Liverpool game tonight. I hope there is no off the pitch action, but I fear someone, or several someones are going to get hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/545 "2005-04-13T15:22:55Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > It’ll be interesting to see what UEFA does to the Inter Milan fans got their game called off. Not much, I cynically suspect. Yeah, what was up with all the flares? Who the heck brings fireworks to a sporting event? Is that a typical Italian thing? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/546 "2005-04-13T15:32:28Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Yeah, what was up with all the flares? Who the heck brings fireworks to a sporting event? Is that a typical Italian thing? Makes me a little suspicious about Italian security as well. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/547 "2005-04-13T15:45:21Z")
You ain’t seen nothing. I just read a BBC article on the incident and was astounded to find this little gem > [@](#): > > "A few years ago Inter fans actually tried to launch a burning moped from the same area of the San Siro as last night’s trouble. [whole article here](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4439601.stm) ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/548 "2005-04-13T15:57:22Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Yeah, what was up with all the flares? Who the heck brings fireworks to a sporting event? Is that a typical Italian thing? Yes. All Italian clubs have fans called “ultras” who aren’t just hooligans but have this strange relationship with the clubs, which is how they get away with it. They have been generally tolerated as they tend not to be violent (like the English) but do behave dreadfully. Try googling “Cuerva Nord” for an idea (I’d link but I’m at work and there are rules here) there are a few within the ultras who will fight - and it’ll be them that are after the scousers tonight (and will soon realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew - the Scousers can be formidible). ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/549 "2005-04-13T16:04:03Z")
I watched the ManUre-Narrich game and Manchester United looked like they couldn’t be bothered. I wouldn’t say they dominated at all. They showed more skill and far less desire. The two Norwich goals were very well taken and Tim Howard really had no chnce on either. The fact is that Fergie has done this before, taking an opponent lightly, like Feberneche, that costs them. (Losing to Feberneche got them paired with AC Milan in the next round of the Champions League). IT seems to me he is living on past glories. He is almost becoming senile in his attempted mind games like the stupid comments about Arsenal causing FA Cup Semis to be played in Cardiff. A transparent attempt to distract attention from his team’s poor perfromance. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/550 "2005-04-13T16:10:29Z")
Ferguson should have been bumped up into a position where he couldn’t do any more damage at the beginning of the _last_ season. Not that i’m complaining (being an Arsenal fan nand all that)! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/551 "2005-04-13T16:36:15Z")
> [@One And Only Wanderers](#): > > I’m more interested in what happens at the Juve/Liverpool game tonight. I hope there is no off the pitch action, but I fear someone, or several someones are going to get hurt. [Someone already did](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/050413/2/aaux.html). ---
**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:** [April 14, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/552 "2005-04-14T07:29:03Z")
I’m getting married on the 23rd, and then jetting off to San Francisco. How will I be able to find the results of EPL matches? Is there a particular newspaper or channel I should check? ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/553 "2005-04-14T10:24:41Z")
> [@owl](#): > > there are a few within the ultras who will fight - and it’ll be them that are after the scousers tonight (and will soon realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew - the Scousers can be formidible). [Just throwing stuff _back_,](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4443587.stm) nothing formidable really. Sammi Hyppia, on the other hand … Christ, those kinds of matches must be _the_ most unbearable to watch, bar none: even an utter drubbing does not have you gnawing on your knuckles for two hours. I hope everyone here of an age for whom “Liverpool success” conjures images of happy childhood and thus just seems like it’s the _way it should be_ will wish us well against that utterly artificial and depressing parody of a football club which might as well be funded directly by the Soviet people’s taxes. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/554 "2005-04-14T10:55:30Z")
I’ll be cheering for the Scousers. I’ll be damned if i want to see Chelsea win it. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/555 "2005-04-14T11:12:24Z")
> [@One And Only Wanderers](#): > > I’m getting married on the 23rd, and then jetting off to San Francisco. How will I be able to find the results of EPL matches? Is there a particular newspaper or channel I should check? Check your television listings for Fox Soccer Channel. This mostly devoted to the EPL (although not exclusively) and they have many of the matches, plus a preview and review show each week. Most run several times. You might also check the Spanish language stations or GolTV, which is an all futbol Spanish station. If you don’t speak Spanish you can still look at the pictures and you might learn something. I have no idea whether the San Francisco chronicle carries results, but they might. We have two local papers and one always shows football highlights or results; the other almost never does. So it’s a bit hit-or-miss. Oh, yeah, congrats on that whole wedding thing. Don’t let it distract you from the footie, though. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/556 "2005-04-14T11:49:10Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Check your television listings for Fox Soccer Channel. This mostly devoted to the EPL (although not exclusively) and they have many of the matches, plus a preview and review show each week. Most run several times. You might also check the Spanish language stations or GolTV, which is an all futbol Spanish station. If you don’t speak Spanish you can still look at the pictures and you might learn something. I have no idea whether the San Francisco chronicle carries results, but they might. We have two local papers and one always shows football highlights or results; the other almost never does. So it’s a bit hit-or-miss. > > Oh, yeah, congrats on that whole wedding thing. Don’t let it distract you from the footie, though. Cheers! One of the games i’ll be there for is Chelsea, so i won’t give up hope of it being televised then. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/557 "2005-04-14T12:16:15Z")
> [@One And Only Wanderers](#): > > Cheers! One of the games i’ll be there for is Chelsea, so i won’t give up hope of it being televised then. Here’s some places to try, in case your hotel doesn’t carry the station: ```auto Blarney Stone - 21st & Geary St 415-386-9914 Cafe Fiore - 533 Jackson St 415-544-0655 CAFE FIORE shows soccer games from all over the world: Italian Serie A, English Premier League, Mexican and South American Leagues, European Champions League, UEFA Cup, Coppa Italia, Italian National Team, and World Cup qualifying games. Steps of Rome - Columbus (One block North of Broadway) 415-986-6480 LIVE Euro 2000, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Italian Serie A, Coppa Italia, and Italian National Team matches via closed-circuit TV, ESPN2, and RAI International. Visit www.stepsofrome.com or call for schedule. The Bitter End - 6th Ave. & Clement 415-221-9538 English League The Chieftain Irish Pub & Restaurant - 198 5th St 415-615-0916 THE CHIEFTAIN IRISH PUB is "The Home of Soccer" in San Francisco, showing all English and Irish Internationals as well as English Premier league games and Cup matches from around the Globe. Our motto is: "if it can be shown you can see it at THE CHIEFTAIN IRISH PUB". The Kezar Pub - 770 Stanyan (opposite Kezar Stadium) 415-386-9292 The Mad Dog in the Fog - 550 Haight St. 415-386-9292 Setanta, Fox Square Sports Restaurant Fox Soccer Channel subscriber Steffs Fox Soccer Channel subscriber The Final Final Fox Soccer Channel subscriber Perry's Fox Soccer Channel subscriber Green's Sports Bar Fox Soccer Channel subscriber Fox & Fiddle Fox Soccer Channel subscriber The Cellar Fox Soccer Channel subscriber ``` ---
**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:** [April 15, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/558 "2005-04-15T06:47:40Z")
The EPL’s achievement in having two teams get through to the European Cup Semi-Finals is pretty impressive, given that no team from Spain or Germany, which started with half a dozen or so clubs between them, could get a single one through this season. (Full marks to PSV Eindhoven too, who are running away with the Dutch League, and only have to clear the hurdle of a meeting with Milan to match last year’s finalists Monaco and Porto, both from less fashionable leagues.) The achievement is even more impressive when you consider the calibre of the sides that made it through to the last eight this time round. Five of the teams are leading their respective divisions (Milan, Chelsea, PSV, as well as Munich and Lyon); of the rest, Juve and Inter are second and third respectively in arguably Europe’s best league. This makes the accomplishment of Liverpool all the more laudable. They certainly deserved it over the two legs, though one has to say that Juve were piss poor, especially at home. How tough it must be to play in an atmosphere-free stadium (gee - how they could do with a few flares, though you’d need a rocket launcher to get them across the running track) in a city where nearly everyone connected with the major employer supports your city rivals. No wonder Juve play better when they’re on the road - in front of their own supporters. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2005, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/559 "2005-04-15T07:53:18Z")
Much obliged **Shibboleth** ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867/560 "2005-04-15T11:46:39Z")
> [@One And Only Wanderers](#): > > Much obliged **Shibboleth** NP. Just don’t spend your whole honeymoon watching football at the pub and then blame _me_ when it doesn’t last three weeks. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867.md?page=27) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-premier-league-and-football-in-general/287867.md?page=29)