Saturday's Here
After last week's FA Cup break, it's back to the regular business of English football, starting with a Brum derby and featuring some key matchups today. Join me as usual.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 7:27 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
After last week's FA Cup break, it's back to the regular business of English football, starting with a Brum derby and featuring some key matchups today. Join me as usual.
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Campeones, campeones - ole, ole, ole!
- Ronaldo Unpimps His Ride
- Road To Wembley
- Ron Asheton 1948-2009 RIP
- More Cup Action!
- FA Cup!
- Footie Moments of 2008
- Freddie Hubbard 1938-2008 RIP
- Costa's Title Bid About to Wobble
- Sunday Football
262 Comments:
Here are my predictions for this weekend's fixtures:
Villa 3 WBA 0
Arse 2 Bolton 1
Everton 1 Hull 1
Fulham 2 Blackburn 0
Boro 1 Sunderland 1
Newcastle 1 West Ham 1
Pompey 2 Citeh 2
Stoke 0 Liverpool 2
Wigan 2 Spurs 1
United 1 Chelski 1
I will be missing for most of the morning. I have to take Jon to a basketball game.
I will be here for the beginning of the Villa match.
I already have Setanta going
All the footie chatter from the past couple of days has been about Rafa Benitez's spectacular press conference melt-down yesterday. Not since the heydey of King Kev's reign at Newcastle have we seen such a display. And the target of the vitriol - of course it's that master of mind games - Fergie.
Pompey vs Citeh match is off because of frozen pitch.
Leeds match with Carlisle is one of only four that survive the weather in L1
I don't know if it was a rant! Rafa didn't lose control at all. In fact, he was reading stuff
We're off
The Baggies go close. Almost an own goal there
I lost my link for a little and Villa score while I was gone
Sidwell, who has a son named Rocco because he loves the Rocky moves so much, should have scored Villa's second
I've been having a bit of lie in while the WSD boys are buzzing in the background. Meanwhile Villa have taken the league against WBA. Predictable?
Gabby Agbolahor adds Villa's second. One more and I'll be grabbing sixty points straight away. West Brom are horrible.
Love the Steve Sidwell family trivia, mate.
We'll definitely need a win today against 17th placed Carlisle at home. That must be three points.
Have you been able to pull up Soccer Saturday, Davey?
I just got it going - it's on the first Media Player link. Brill!
Bugger, I would love to have the SS but I have to leave in twenty minutes. I will put it up for a little
Lovely jubbly
Fulham Rovers match is off too
Looks like the South of England have the worst weather
It's just filtered through that both the Fulham vs. Blackburn and Pompey vs. Citeh matches are off for frozen pitches. What on earth is going on with the weather today in Blighty?
West Brom must have scored!
Curses - WBA have pegged one back. That's my prediction wrecked.
I have the match on as well as SS
Wish I didn't have to leave
Loving the SS - aren't you?
Carson makes a fine save against Young.
If Villa win this, they will be in third
What did we do pre September?
Ah well, you're on dad's duty this morning. Best of luck to Jon with his b-ball game.
Carson with another great save from a header
We didn't know any better, right?
I will be back for the late game
Cheers
The Merse likes Darren Bent - why?
Cheers, mate!
Pompey should buy Benjani back - he can't get a game at Citeh.
Kolo Toure has been announced as the new Arsenal captain in Fab's absence. What do you make of that, Gooners?
Citeh are engaged in the usual silly season gambit, announcing that they're in for Buffon, Trezeguet, David Villa and a host of other world stars. As Citeh are going, they'll be lucky to hang on to the stars that they have. Money isn't everything.
Ten minutes left at Villa Park in that early match. Villa still leading and I'm sure Dave and the Gooner would give anything for another Baggies goal about now.
Villa have seen off the Baggies at Villa Park. Sorry, lads. It's a ten point start to the weekend for me on the predictions chart. Ta.
Looking at the Premier League table today, it is quite extraordinary. You'd have to say that starting with Wigan on 28 points, all of the sides from Hull in 8th on down are part of the relegation scrum. WBA and Blackburn do look doomed but I wouldn't like to wager on who would take the third spot.
Morning Chaps!
I'm fine with Kolo. My only reservation would be if it's true that the transfer request he put in was really to secure a money move to Man City. He's retracted the request but you don't want to see yet another wantaway player rewarded with the captaincy.
Cesc is the captain. That's the important thing. The armband-wearer of the week is immaterial.
A weather-reduced list of 3 p.m. fixtures are about kick off.
West Ham and Newcastle on the box - let's be having you Trev!
Wow, it looks pretty chilly again in London. I'm happy in my cozy basement with my cuppa.
Morning, Gooner. Davey's off doing his dad duty at the rec basketball and will be back for the Liverpool match but I'm here with FSC on, Soccer Saturday on the laptop and an eye toward the Emirates and Elland Road.
Zanetti's gone off with a broken nose for Everton.
It does - several matches off for frozen pitches, even in Portsmouth! I assume that the ones that are still on are the flash stadia like the Emirates with undersoil heating.
What did you make of Rafa's statement about Fergie yesterday?
Good luck today! Who are you up against?
Under-soil heating's flash? Uh, the moon landing came after that technology was developed and deployed.
Our new striker Lee Trundle in on loan from Bristol City makes his first start today on the bench.
Tell it to the groundstaff at Fratton Park, eh?
We've got Carlisle at home. And Elland Road is one of those flash grounds with the undersoil heating, btw.
Arsenal are dominating possession in the early minutes of their Emirates clash with Bolton, but they've yet to create any clear-cut chances.
Kevin Davies has elbowed one of our players again. I despise that thug!
What Rafa actually said was not very controversial at all. I thought he was pretty measured.
But the football press will always hype that kind of statement up. If I was Rafa, I'd laugh it off.
I've got a nice link up for the Arse-Bolton match. You?
It's always a bad sign when Fergie's getting under another manager's skin, though. He's a master at the emotional games. I'd honestly like to see Liverpool win the championship this season - it's about time.
I've lost my feed. Back in a tick
Arsenal are all over Bolton. They must score soon.
Ooh, off the post from wee Mikey. That might have been the opener for Newcastle. The Magpies can't afforded to lose him at the moment. Without Owen they could go down.
OK, I'm back with something that doesn't have sound, but just in time ot see Kolo and Manuel just manage to not set Elmander through. That was quite untidy.
Manuel Almunia's just gone walkabout. Extraordinary. Maybe he's cold.
What link are you watching the Arse on? Does it have commentary?
Our Argentine striker Luciano Becchio has had several good chances in the early going at Elland Road.
I'm at Gotera.TV. The resolution isn't that great but the sound's on.
GOAL! Wee Mikey's got his goal now. He's beaten Rob Green at the near post. Not the Hammers' keeper's finest moment there. Surely he'd should have tipped that that one around. Hammers on the rack now.
Typical stuff from Bolton, bunkering down at the back, and hoofing it up to Davies and Elmander. What a sh*t club they are, and if you're from Bolton, what does it say about you that you wouldn't drive 20 miles to somewhere else to support a team that had some promise of entertainment?
Bolton lucky not called for a pen. Harsh, yeah, but I can clearly remember Sagna called for something like that last year at Sunderland. It was outside, so it was a free, mind.
I've lost the link now. Searching around JustinTV for another.
I'd love to see Bolton go down. WBA, Blackburn and Bolton. That would suit me just fine.
Morning, Gents, I'm back from my morning soccer pick-up. One of the players is a Derby County fan. He had his kit on and as in great spirits. James got me Bloody Confused for XMAS. Fun stuff. I need to check your posts on it.
Back again. Gotera was what I had, but it's not streaming for me now. I tried the veetle, it's rubbish, but I've got some Spanish thing, just in time to see Davies kick Denilson, and then see the ref not card him for it. I'm getting a bit livid now.
WTF, is Almunia calling for the ball or not? Djourou and him getting mixed up now.
Right - I've got a great stream now. Try this one for the Arse match:
http://www.footy.tk/
Bugger! We're one-nil down at Elland Road.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RVP going into Taylor with gusto. That's what happens when the ref pisses about with thugs like Davies. The players sort each other out. Watch us pick up the first yellow now.
And then there's Davies again. WTF, JFW!
GOAL! Craig Bellamy equalizes with a lovely finish. Nice feed there from Scottie Parker.
1-1
West Ham have a large contingent making the trip up to Newcastle today.
Morning, Johnno. Your presence has had an immediate effect. Nice goal for your lads. I have that one as a draw today.
That's foul #5 for Davies. I'm likely to damage furniture in a second if this keeps up.
Criminal stuff from Davies at the Emirates. Bolton have well and truly parked the bus there. I'm worried that the hotheads in the Arse side will lose their rags.
The floodlights have gone out at the Emirates. So much for the flash stadium comment. It must be a really murky day in London if they need them on at 3:30 p.m.
Remember the good ole days when all we had were the live matches on FSC?
The referee, Atkinson?, needs to set the tone and he's shirked the responsibility so far. Mind, he's keeping really close attention to his watch as you saw a moment ago.
What a wanker!
Struth! Our old boy Michael Bridges has come back to haunt us. We're 0-2 down at the Elland. What a nightmare!
I hope it's something chronic for Elmander. Though if he is subbed, there won't be one player for Bolton worth a crap.
Sorry Bob. That's a big ask now.
West Ham have conceded all possession. We'll be lucky to hold them off until the half.
What is Megson on about? Gardner goes down after the ball hits him. I really am losing it now. I want to bury this lot under 6 feet of dirt.
Dave was commenting on the same thing. I've got both ss and the Arse match up on the laptop, FSC on in the background and the 365 text scores. Incredible coverage.
I'm off at the half. Stevie, you going to ring the butcher this week for some bangers? He's back on 1/12.
Our local rivals Huddersfield have leapfrogged us into ninth position now.
Bloody hell . . . Mark Noble denied on 1 on 1 to goal with buckets of time. WHy couldn't that have been Bellamy running through to goal??
The Hammers should have had their second there. Bellamy a bit greedy this time.
Davies, #7, and the Italian commentary now has noticed that he's been skating on thin ice. "Physicque" "Brute" "Punizione" figuring frequently
Aha! I had been calling Steve since Thursday to see if he would have bangers today. I'll have to wait for next weekend I see.
Stick it in Robin, in the name of Allah!
Boy, Bellamy is quick with the ball at his feet.
That's the half lads. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday! C'mon you Hammers!
Alves has given Boro the lead in the Northeast derby.
And Arteta has added a second goal for Everton.
Cheerio, John. Have a good weekend.
That's the half at the Emirates. Fans unhappy, I'm certainly not entertained.
Diaby and Adebayor both need to get involved, and RVP needs to keep cool. We must beat Bolton.
Half time at the Elland. 0-2 down. Miserable stuff.
I reckon that one goal will do you against Bolton.
The sides are back on at St. James's.
Not unless it's very late. I think a goal for us will send them more forward and all the miscommunication at the back has me worried that one would not do it.
I think it's got to be a few. And quickly. A goal from a free is most likely and then one quickly after that.
We're off. No further changes. Not sure Adebayor was offside there.
Simon Grayson has made no changes at half time. Surely new boy Lee Trundle will get a run out if the score reamins the same.
Bellamy mihgt have had a pen there.
Good work from Van Persie, maybe a bit elaborate. I couldn't see what his options were when he made the cutback that ended up being put out for a corner.
All Leeds in the first five minutes of the second half.
Oooh, the replay shows that Samuel brought that down with the top of his arm. That's a crucial no-call.
Nasri takes a sneaky kick that he seems to have recovered from.
We're shocking at the back today!! Nothing looks controlled or safely dealt with.
Should have been a penalty there for the Arsenal. But the Arse players didn't shout for it. Why?
Blimey! It's a rare Carlton Cole strike. He looked a mile offside from the free kick there but he played on and thumped it home. Johnno will be a happy chappy. It's 1-2!
As predicted Lee Trundle has come for his debut at 55 minutes and he's just gone wide with his first effort.
I lost the last p2p mediaplayer link that was broadcasting arsenal.
the last link on the page leads to a dodgy veetle link which is the only thing currently broadcasting.
still 0-0
We've got all of our subs on now and are bombing at Carlisle with thirty minutes left. Come on, you Whites!
What's the Veetle link?
i think cole is enjoying a rich run of form now. 6 for 6 appearances recently. he was struggling earlier but i think he's doing well at the moment.
basket88. the last game link one the page with an orange logo.
this veetle link is really dodgy. the next injury stoppage, i'm rechecking
Tricky free kick for West Ham to defend here.
Oh, very close there from Adebayor.
crap, adeybayor all by himself but not nearly sharp enough and the ball's charged down. that's been his first chance today.
hopefully that's the spark we need.
If we're going to come back, we need a quick goal in order to set up a chance to equalize in the remaining fifteen minutes or so.
vela has come on, but i couldn't see who departed.
Lucas Neill has had his blushes saved there. He knocked the ball into his own net but referee Alan Wiley noticed a push.
this is better link. tiny screen but clear with peter drury i think.
http://www.iraqgoals.com/en/ch4.html
sorry.
RVP off the post!!
Bendtner for Eboue. Can't disagree with that at all.
Cheers, mate. That is a good one. Bendtner on now.
Fifteen shots for us today but no goals. Fifteen minutes left.
nick with a header! first touch almost a goal.
unlucky for rvp.
Why is Bendtner playing so wide? He's the only one who likes to put his head in the danger area.
GOAL! Nice header there from the curiously braided Newcastle midfielder Carroll. 2-2!
Riga goes off for Bolton in a huff, straight down the tunnel for a sulk. Megson won't like that behavior.
I don't know. he deserves a clip 'round the earhole for that and more.
Djourou picks up a needless yellow there with Bolton on the break.
Are those boos going up around the Emirates?
Bendtner blocked by Bolton - Shittu!
Yes, every gooner is disappointed and frustrated by performances like this.
Finally! Bendtner!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes! Excellent goal there. Nicely spread to RVP, great cross over and a superb finish.
The Emirates faithful aren't booing the big Dane now, are they?
Davies misses a sitter at the other end. Calm down, lads.
Ramsey to come on now.
looking that over, that was a really good finish by nick. very difficult to pull off but christ, so important.
now, look at these feckers go forward. take it back to them, score another and break their backs and spirit.
ramsey looks ready to come on. weird. he's so little he'll be eaten up by those thugs.
Vela was nearly in there.
Good block by Toure on Shittu there.
Kenwyne Jones has equalized for Sunderland to give me another nice earner in the predictions game.
Three minutes of stoppage time to come.
Oh dear - rash foul by Ramsey. Here come the big men.
i don't think they were booing nick in particular even though he's put in some disgracefully lazy performances this year. it's the whole team's lack of effort and success and particularly wenger's increasingly desperate status and lack of success on the transfer market.
we see poor performances, we're in disagreement with wenger that we have solutions within the squad, and we see a summer coming up where the usual spanish scum will surface to unsettle our best players.
these are desperate times for us. i know it's not what you and leeds are going through but it's as bad as i've seen at the emirates and the hardest time wenger has had at arsenal.
Ramsey picks up a yellow for a second rash foul.
Any chance of picking up Arshavin in January?
Newcastle and West Ham end at 2-2. Good match and 15 points for me.
Final score - Arsenal 1-0. Very satisfying in the end.
So you lot are level with United now with United better on goal difference and with a couple of games in hand, no?
It's all over at Elland Road. Another loss and we're now down to 10th. Out of both Cups now and with only a glimmer of a hope of sneaking a playoff spot. Not happy days at Leeds.
I'm off for a shower and will be back for the Liverpool match.
you know, it's not even clear that he'd be the thing that gets us past villa for 4th. arteta would be a better move. i was a bit excited by the thought of that big turk imler, but that seems a fantasy now.
this is the problem: we didn't convince flamini to stay, we didn't convince diarra either and once it was sure that both were going, wenger decided that song would be a man-for-man replacement and he could bring in fancier players like nasri and ramsey. he made exactly the same mistake when viera started looking short-term.
he's always been terrible at identifying good defenders. i know he's brought in clichy and sagna, but i would say that those two caught his eye with their attacking promise. wenger couldn't identify a new tony adams if that player was standing on his foot at the time.
wenger also rewarded gallas's bad behavior with the captaincy, and that hurt morale. so now that kolo's got the malaria and suffering, gallas has been miserable at the back, silvestre looks very past even his best, and song looks lost and forlorn in the role, only djourou looks even possibly top 4 premiership quality.
wenger through mistakes, and not bringing in a #2 that covers his blindness in defense, has created a shopping list of essential fixes that simply cannot be satisfied without spending well over the odds.
arshavin, sure we'll take him, but i bet he doesn't make a blind bit of difference because we need central midfielders and solid, world class defenders so much more than another flash flair guy in the midfield.
not satisfied, but very, very relieved.
Hello Everyone
I know I'm late but I have read most
of your stuff today .
Sorry about Leeds , Bob !
I told Dave it was a bit cold over
here but he didn't believe me .
Welcome back, Davey! How was the rec b-ball?
Earlier in the season, Stoke ground out a well-earned draw at Anfield. Since then Tony Pulis's side have had mixed fortunes and now are hanging just above the drop zone. They need a result today and of course the big boys will be hoping that they can do so.
Sorry, Tony, I thought it was your brother. How's everything on the other side of the pond? It looks a bit parky over there today.
Torres on the bench again today - why? He scored off the bench last weekend. Surely he's ready for a start.
Hi Bob
Yes it's a bit on the cold side . I
know it's not up to New York standard
cold , but it's enough for me . It
would be nice to have some snow to go
with it though .
We're off at the Britannia and Stoke have an early free kick here...
Whelan steps up and floats one benignly over the bar.
Great crowd noise from the Stoke faithful.
Too right, Tony. It's -9F here today. Good thing that your nephews aren't still playing footie outside this time of year.
Great picture in one of the papers today . Eight players arriving for
training at Man U . Eight Bentleys .
All dark colours except for Tev . His
is white .
Classic stuff. I would have loved to have seen VDS picking up Ronaldo in his Bentley the other day.
Close call for Liverpool there. Off the bar from Delap and Cresswell couldn't tuck it home.
It's been all Stoke so far at the Britannia. Liverpool look out of sorts.
Hey Guys, I am back.
Jon scored a basket but their team lost by two points.
I get in just in time to see Stoke hit the woodwork. Of course three of them were offside.
Sorry about your result mate
Hi Tony
Hi Dave .
Have you been using your Bentley
lately ?
No, I left that in the garage. I just used the Honda
That's not very "rock and roll"
Stoke have a break on and useless cross by Delap
I was reading the previous comments.
United are not in 4th but have THREE games in hand over Arsenal and Villa
All three at home
Chelsea tomorrow, Wigan on Wednesday and Fulham this month, I think
A lot of sturm and drang without much outcome so far.
Welcome back, Dave! Stay warm, eh?
I don't think Ronaldo would be caught dead in a Honda. It would be like wearing black boots.
Goal! No, it won't count. A long ball into the box and it was knocked home. Not sure why it was chalked off yet.
RATS.
Stoke get it in the net and the commentator doesn't know what is going on!
Stoke are giving it a go
I was going to buy a Bentley but
there aren't any left ! They are all
O/T .
Shame!
Diego Maradona is at the Britannia Stadium today.
It's not a pretty match, is it? But you're not complaining. A 0-0 would suit you, right?
I am on that atdhe link.
I turned on BBC 1 but there is some stupid extreme game show. I am now watching the Darts.
I hope MotD will be shown
Luv it
Costa deserve to be down. They will win this one for sure now
I reckon that I'm 70 points up on the day. Not bad, given the two games called off.
Oh yeah - I'm all over the site when MOTM is on. I've been catching up on East Enders all week. Dot is concerned about what Nick is up to, as usual.
Good to know that the ManYoo boys are keeping the British car industry alive. Maybe they could buy a few high end American cars then?
East Enders. Please say you have never watched it.
I watched it when it was still on.
As for MotD, some stuff does get blacked out.
Fingers crossed.
I just remembered, I won't be home for it!!
More practices to go to
Are you expecting more snow?
Our forecast has changed to have over 10 inches of snow!
Half time.
MORE OF THE SAME PLEASE
I forgot the darts were on . I've
switched over now .
Adams has pulled one back .
Half-time: 0-0. What a bore.
MotD is on at 10:15
I will definitely check in on MotD2 on Sunday
10 o'clock on the Deuce!
WONDER WHAT DAY IT IS TOMORROW?
A 0-0 bore at half time means that
Liverpool will definitely win now .
I'm cursing JLL to a lifetime of zits.
10:15 GMT right?
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