# Footie Focus: March **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 1, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750 "2013-03-01T18:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/22 "2013-03-14T17:12:01Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Arsenal put in a great performance last night, but I think that Bayern were a bit overconfident and didn’t really turn up. Long-time Bayern fan here. I agree they didn’t show up, and sometimes they looked outright panicked. I’m also not a Robben fan at all (yes, I know, “one of the great players”, etc.), and while it made sense to give him a try in place of the somewhat-injured Ribery, it looked like classic Robben…signaling his mates when he’s open, failing to make opportunistic passes near or in the box…god I hate watching him, though maybe at this point I’m too biased to do it fairly. Still, had the rest of the team been on the pitch mentally, it would not have been an issue. We got lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/23 "2013-03-15T09:13:57Z")
On the other hand a reasonable night in the Europa League, even if all three clubs made heavy weather of things. Spurs couldn’t have done more to shoot themselves in the foot… taking a 3-0 lead into the game and then relying on an away goal in extra time. Newcastle also left it very late, and even Chelsea were up against it at half time. I watched some of the Lazio vs Stuttgart game… really odd atmosphere without the crowd, looked more like a training game or a lower league match, until you remember these are multi-million euro squads. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/24 "2013-03-15T14:40:19Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > I watched some of the Lazio vs Stuttgart game… really odd atmosphere without the crowd, looked more like a training game or a lower league match, until you remember these are multi-million euro squads. Indeed - I forget who it was the made the point (well, no doubt many have, but Nick Hornby was possibly one of the first as I think he covers it in Fever Pitch - highly recommended even for Arsenal-haters, by the way, just in case anyone has been under a rock for 20 years :)) that in a sense the TV channels and footballing organisations rely on a paying crowd to turn up in order to create an atmosphere the rest of us can enjoy from our living rooms. Without that, it all seems a bit tame and much less of a spectacle. I wonder if Inter will suffer the same fate after the alleged monkey chants at the end of their game? Shame that Steaua Bucharest crumbled a bit in the second half, I thought they were favourites at half-time but Torres chose a good time to play well. Don’t suppose that defender will suffer any action for giving him a nosebleed - probably enough doubt to just wave it away as accidental, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he saw an opportunity to kick a man when he’s down (literally and metaphorically) and get away with it. I agree with **mascaroni** that this season is a one-off and normal service will be resumed next year. United were unlucky in the sense that the challenge was clearly for the ball and Nani did not have time to see the other player coming. However I grudgingly accept that by the letter of the law, the ref could justify his decision. One of those things, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/25 "2013-03-15T16:18:13Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Don’t suppose that defender will suffer any action for giving [Torres] a nosebleed - probably enough doubt to just wave it away as accidental, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he saw an opportunity to kick a man when he’s down (literally and metaphorically) and get away with it. To be fair you had a £50m striker lying on the floor in a sulk, right in the middle of the six-yard box, after he fell over. It wasn’t like he was clattered by the defender… he just slipped over. And he was there a good length of time (more than enough time to get up and re-join the game). I was looking at the replay of the original challenge to see how he cut himself - he was down for such a long time I assumed he’d bitten his cheek or similar after hitting the turf, but there was no obvious impact and it was a fair few seconds later that he got kicked. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/26 "2013-03-15T18:24:42Z")
Oh yes, I agree - had he got up promptly and got on with it, he wouldn’t have been kicked 10 seconds later. I mean, if the ref doesn’t blow up straightaway, he’s not going to change his mind (all footballers should have this as their mantra!). And he later demonstrated that winning a penalty was pretty useless anyway :). ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/27 "2013-03-17T20:34:42Z")
There’s only one F in Fulham… > [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > Everton can be safely ruled out for fourth place… Jelavic is stinking the place out on a weekly basis… You never know… keep picking up points against stragglers like Citeh… ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/28 "2013-03-18T01:40:58Z")
Thanks, Fulham! If Spurs can’t get in over Arsenal this season they may never… ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/29 "2013-03-18T13:28:35Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > We’re playing City this weekend (at home) and that will show where the team is at mentally. If they respond with a gritty performance, even if it’s a defeat, then we might have enough left in the tank to contest league positions with Arsenal and Liverpool. If we roll over then that’s it - freefall. Well, that wasn’t in the script - what’s your reaction (apart from the obvious)? > [@Jas09](#): > > Thanks, Fulham! If Spurs can’t get in over Arsenal this season they may never… Never is a long time. Still, given Arsenal are having a particularly poor season and Spurs a particularly good one, you may be right! ETA: United still on for the first ever 100-point Premier League season - wonder what the odds are against that now? Still well over 100-1 in reality, I would imagine, but I doubt you’d get anything that good out of a bookie. ---
**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:** [March 18, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/30 "2013-03-18T15:45:08Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Well, that wasn’t in the script - what’s your reaction (apart from the obvious)? Over the moon, in microcosm. Spanking Man City is righteous work and we at Everton are not afraid to step up and do our duty here. More broadly speaking, I’m still fuming. We won on Sat by working the old bollox off, a similar attitude with Wigan would have easily seen them off. It does keep things interesting for the run in - We have Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea to play, all away - tough sequence. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/31 "2013-03-18T18:01:47Z")
On the other hand, none of those teams will be confident of 3 points from your visit - the results will, I suspect, show whether you are genuine contenders or not. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/32 "2013-03-22T23:48:14Z")
A predictable win for England. But I find it slightly ridiculous that a team like San Marino should even be involved in the tournament. IMHO they should have a separate competition where no hopers like them, Sealand, Liechtenstien, Alderney, American Samoa, Scotland and others like them would have at least a chance of getting a result… ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/33 "2013-03-23T01:07:08Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > A predictable win for England. > > But I find it slightly ridiculous that a team like San Marino should even be involved in the tournament. > > IMHO they should have a separate competition where no hopers like them, Sealand, Liechtenstien, Alderney, American Samoa, Scotland and others like them would have at least a chance of getting a result… Joachim Loew suggested a “pre-qualification” round for those types of footballing countries, but I’m not sure if that was genuine desire to alter the structure or whining because Germany has just had to spend 2 days in Astana, Kazakhstan to play a match that started at 12am local time. I suspect probably the latter. Some big surprises today with Spain drawing at Finland. And Portugal 3-3 Israel, are you kidding me? ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/34 "2013-03-25T20:49:08Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Joachim Loew suggested a “pre-qualification” round for those types of footballing countries, but I’m not sure if that was genuine desire to alter the structure or whining because Germany has just had to spend 2 days in Astana, Kazakhstan to play a match that started at 12am local time. I suspect probably the latter. > > Some big surprises today with Spain drawing at Finland. And Portugal 3-3 Israel, are you kidding me? In recent years Greece and Denmark have both won the European Championship. A few years back, England won 8-0 in Turkey, but they subsequently went on to play in a World Cup semi-final in 2006. Uruguay, with a population about the same of Wales have won the World Cup twice. Tomorrow, we’ve got Montenegro, topping the group despite their size… But, for the whipping boys like San Marino, Leichtenstein and Andorra, their low populations make it almost inconceivable that they could finish anything but bottom of their group. (Being English, including Scotland in that category was a deliberate insult - haven’t you seen Braveheart?). I’d love to see Israel qualify for Qater 2018… that could be interesting… ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/35 "2013-03-25T21:56:46Z")
Hockey (where perhaps differences between countries that matter and countries that don’t are a bit more pronounced) works with a bunch of different divisions. In 2013, Slovenia and Austria were promoted from Division I into the Championship at the expense of Italy and Kazakhstan, who were relegated. ([wiki link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Men's_World_Ice_Hockey_Championships)) I’m not sure why a similar rule could not be applied to 10 to 20 underperforming UEFA members for world cup and eurocup qualifications. Let them play their own competition in which a few of them win the right to play in regular qualifications. This has the advantage of putting less of a strain on the bigger countries, keeping the clubs happy while reducing the risk of injury in the bigger players. A second advantage is that it reduces the number of uninteresting games, and makes regular qualification more interesting. Finally, it also means that those lesser countries have something to play for, rather than just routinely having their ass kicked over the course of 10 games with no hopes than maybe scoring a goal against one of the bigger teams or injuring one of their players. Where’s the sportsmanship in that? Finally finally, making qualification tiered does not exclude anyone, it just some teams to clear a few extra hurdles that others are exempted from. Works the same in European club football, where during the summer teams are playing to qualify for the CL and EL main tournaments. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2013, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/36 "2013-03-26T11:59:05Z")
Anyone see the talent Belgium are putting onto the field atm? Really fantastic quality and very young, could be together for the next 3 major tournaments. 1 (GK) Thibaut COURTOIS (Atletico on loan from Chelsea) 2 Toby ALDERWEIRELD (Ajax) 3 © Thomas VERMAELEN (Arsenal) 4 Vincent Kompany (Citeh) 5 Jan VERTONGHEN (Spurs) 6 Axel WITSEL (Zenit) 7 Kevin DE BRUYNE (Bremen on loan from Chelsea) 8 Moussa DEMBELE (Fulham) 9 Christian BENTEKE (Villa) 10 Eden HAZARD (Chelsea) 11 Marouane FELLAINI (Everton) Bench is a mile deep as well: 12 Simon MIGNOLET 13 Laurent CIMAN 14 Dries MERTENS 15 Daniel Van Buyten 16 Nacer Chadli 17 Kevin MIRALLAS 18 Steven DEFOUR 19 Jelle VOSSEN 20 Romelu LUKAKU 21 Jean Francois GILLET 22 Timmy SIMONS Saying all that they’ve not really gotten it together yet - they didn’t qualify for Euro 2012 with many of those players. The right coach and a couple more years under their belts and they could be sweeping all before them. 22-1 right now for World cup 2014. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/37 "2013-03-27T19:59:28Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > Anyone see the talent Belgium are putting onto the field atm? Really fantastic quality and very young, could be together for the next 3 major tournaments. > > …8 Moussa DEMBELE ( **Fulham** )… My Bolding… Obviously a lot of great talent there, but no tournament experience, which has (with the obvious exception of Uruguay in 1930) statistically at least, seemed an important attribute for any WC contender. I don’t think this time around but, as you say, they’re a young squad and could be around for a while. I’d like to see them do it… just to piss off the French. They had a great squad in 1986 (Scifo, Cuellemans, Gerets, Van der Elst, Pfaff etc. [Note no mention of Nico Clausen, who spent two years in an offside position at Spurs] Got to the semis before the “Foot of God” put them out and also saw one of my [favourite football photos](http://www.cianboland.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/maradona.jpg). England got lucky last night. After the early goal (those wacky Montenegrans don’t do manhandling in the area from corners) I thought we’d control the match - which we did to a certain extent in the first half, but fell apart for the first forty minutes of the second. ---
**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:** [March 28, 2013, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/38 "2013-03-28T12:11:45Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > My Bolding… > > Obviously a lot of great talent there, but no tournament experience, which has (with the obvious exception of Uruguay in 1930) statistically at least, seemed an important attribute for any WC contender. I don’t think this time around but, as you say, they’re a young squad and could be around for a while. > I’d like to see them do it… just to piss off the French. > > . Sry **mascaroni** , forgot he moved. How is he playing? Meant to be an excellent shepherd of the football, but only seen him play myself on the odd occasion. My mate phoned me the other day and asked if I wanted him to get me a ticket for Everton v Spurs next week. I was a bit distracted and said sure thinking it was at Goodison :smack: No matter, should be a good trip to WHL, not been there for years. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/39 "2013-03-28T22:46:42Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Hockey (where perhaps differences between countries that matter and countries that don’t are a bit more pronounced) works with a bunch of different divisions. In 2013, Slovenia and Austria were promoted from Division I into the Championship at the expense of Italy and Kazakhstan, who were relegated. ([wiki link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Men's_World_Ice_Hockey_Championships)) > > I’m not sure why a similar rule could not be applied to 10 to 20 underperforming UEFA members for world cup and eurocup qualifications. Let them play their own competition in which a few of them win the right to play in regular qualifications. This has the advantage of putting less of a strain on the bigger countries, keeping the clubs happy while reducing the risk of injury in the bigger players. A second advantage is that it reduces the number of uninteresting games, and makes regular qualification more interesting. Finally, it also means that those lesser countries have something to play for, rather than just routinely having their ass kicked over the course of 10 games with no hopes than maybe scoring a goal against one of the bigger teams or injuring one of their players. Where’s the sportsmanship in that? Finally finally, making qualification tiered does not exclude anyone, it just some teams to clear a few extra hurdles that others are exempted from. Works the same in European club football, where during the summer teams are playing to qualify for the CL and EL main tournaments. I totally agree. Pre-Qualification matches would have much more significance than the current ‘try to not get too badly beaten’ mentality. One-sided games aren’t great for either side. While I’m sure all those flag waving kids in the crowd enjoyed watching Rooney and Gerrard, it wouldn’t hold a candle to a hard fought 1-0 win against Andorra in a crucial Pre-Qualifier.. Where are you from **Švejk**? Who do you follow? And. most importantly of all… Got any decent strikers at your club going cheap? If so, contact: D.Levy THFC Tottenham High Road London [I should have bolded the “cheap”- he’ll only pay half what they’re worth…] > [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > Sry **mascaroni** , forgot he moved. How is he playing? Meant to be an excellent shepherd of the football, but only seen him play myself on the odd occasion. > > My mate phoned me the other day and asked if I wanted him to get me a ticket for Everton v Spurs next week. I was a bit distracted and said sure thinking it was at Goodison :smack: No matter, should be a good trip to WHL, not been there for years. Dembele settled in very quickly. My only worry is his temperament - a couple of times he’s lashed out in quick temper and that can prove to be costly. I’ve got the same misgivings about Huddlestone. It’s a while since I’ve been to The Lane myself. If I watch live football I tend to watch lower league stuff… terracing, smoking, drinking etc. And cheap!.. ish ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750/40 "2013-03-29T12:21:31Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > I totally agree. Pre-Qualification matches would have much more significance than the current ‘try to not get too badly beaten’ mentality. One-sided games aren’t great for either side. While I’m sure all those flag waving kids in the crowd enjoyed watching Rooney and Gerrard, it wouldn’t hold a candle to a hard fought 1-0 win against Andorra in a crucial Pre-Qualifier.. > > Where are you from **Švejk**? > Who do you follow? > > And. most importantly of all… > > Got any decent strikers at your club going cheap? Live in Canada now but originally from the Netherlands. I support Feyenoord, and no, we don’t have any cheap strikers. The Dutch league is pretty interesting these days, though - the numbers 1-4 have 57, 56, 56, and 54 points with seven games left to play. As compared to Juve that’s 9 points out, Man U that’s 15 points ahead of City, Barca that’s 13 points ahead of Real, and Bayern that has 20 points on Dortmund (not to mention the numbers 3 and 4 in any of those cases), this makes the Dutch League a lot more suspenseful. Probably won’t be decided until the last day - might be like in [06/07](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Decisive_day_dutch_football_championship_2007.png) when during the last round of play, the title changed hands five times between three teams. I really hope not though.:eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/footie-focus-march/651750.md?page=1)