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, July 16, 2011

A Day of Friendlies

I knew I kept my FSC subscription for some reason over the summer - it's friendly day! Our first chance to have a peek at some of the teams that will be lighting up the Premiership in a month's time. If you're up early this morning, have a cuppa with me.

74 Comments:

Blogger The Blue Devil said...

I've joined the Liverpool v. Malaysia XI match in progress (there was no way I was waking up at 5:45 am for this one!) to see David Ngog knock in his second.

It's 3-1 Liverpool presently.

7:19 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

I think this is the same lot that was turned over 4-0 by Arsenal in mid-week.

7:20 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

It's interesting line-up for Liverpool, with Aquilani and Ngog up front and Kuyt running wide. Don't know if this is how they lined up in the first half.

7:21 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

4-1! Maxi Rodriguez finishes off a lovely move through Aquilani.

7:23 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

I've got this link going for the Arsenal v. Guangzhou FC match coming up at 7:30.

7:25 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

The Malaysian boys have pegged another one back. Bad error there by the keeper Hanson and Safir Saleh tucked it home.

4-2 Liverpool

7:28 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Bloody hell - Saleh has scored a second goal. What a substitution!

4-3 Liverpool!

7:31 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Arsenal have kicked off in China. I didn't see a team line-up but I'll do my best to spot them.

7:33 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Blimey - the big striker for Guangzhou nearly snuck in for an opener there.

7:35 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

It doesn't help my case that it appears that the Arsenal players have Chinese script for their names!

7:36 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

And the commentary I've got is an over-excited Arabic speaker!

7:37 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Maxi has knocked in a second and that's the end of the Malaysia's resistance.

5-3 Liverpool!

7:40 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

6-3 - Kuyt hammers home!

Everything good for Liverpool has come through Aquilani. He may be forcing his way into the reckoning.

7:42 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Alright, then - from the top I see RVP, Arshavin, Nasri, Vela, Rosicky....

There are a couple of blokes that Gooner would recognize but I can't really. Maybe one of the Traore boys.

Then it's Mannone (I think) in goal, Sagna, Djourou, Squillaci in the back.

7:44 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Liverpool have finished at 6-3. They'll be happy with that spate of goals in the second half and particularly Charlie Adams debut goal for Liverpool in the first half. But what about conceding three against a Malaysian pick-up side?

7:45 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Bloody hell - Gooner won't like that one bit. Guangzhou have scored!

Very bobbly, scrambly goal. Not pretty at all.

7:50 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Half an hour in and Arsenal are still 1-0 down. Arsene won't be happy with what he's seen so far. Fairly toothless up front and sloppy at the back.

8:04 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

The two blokes I couldn't spot earlier were Gibbs and Frimpong.

8:04 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Nice volley on the turn there by Sair Nasri who's the only bloke out there who seems to be arsed at all.

8:10 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Arsenal getting a lot of possession now, knocking it about, albeit in safe areas.

8:14 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Guangzhou's fans are celebrating as if they've won already. It's only just coming up on half-time.

8:17 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

GOAL! Vela walks one in after initial attempts from Nasri and RVP.

1-1 right on the stroke of half-time!

8:18 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

No time to restart - that's the interval. I'm off for a shower.

8:19 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

We're back on for the second half then. Honors even so far. 1-1.

8:38 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Right - let me catch up with the subs. Vermaelen has come on, I think Djourou has gone off. And Theo is on. Song as well. Wilshere as well.

8:42 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Koscielny's on too for Squillaci.

8:42 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - interesting. The new Japanese teenage prodigy Ryu Myachi is on as well. So it really is all-change in this second half.

8:46 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - decent hit there from Gibbs, one of the few players who survived from the first half. Made the keeper work.

8:51 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - Theo tried to walk it in there. Could have played it square to Chamakh.

8:52 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Theo misses another sitter and Arsene is finally off the bench expressing his usual delight with the proceedings.

9:01 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

To be fair, Arsenal have been all over the Chinese outfit in this second half. They deserve a goal or two.

9:03 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

A quarter of an hour left for someone to break the deadlock.

9:06 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

No variety of attacking play from the Arsenal. The Guangzhou boys are dropping deep and there seems to be no way of breaking them down.

9:20 AM  
Blogger West Ham Rising said...

Morning, Bob . . . when are the West Ham v. Leeds fixtures?

9:20 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Down to the last few moments.

9:22 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Morning, WHR. We're at Upton Park on September 21. And then you're back at our patch on March 17.

9:24 AM  
Blogger West Ham Rising said...

So if we start saving our pennies now we could go to Elland Road for spring break . . .

9:25 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Not a bad idea, sure.

9:25 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Last chance to swing in a free kick. Wilshere behind it. Nothing comes of it.

9:26 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

That's it - Wenger with a strange, bemused look on his face at the end of that one. I'd have to say that without some new faces around the place, Wenger will not solve the issues that Arsenal have had for a few years now.

9:27 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Right, then - I'm going to freshen my coffee and look to see if there's a link for the upcoming Motherwell v. LUFC match.

9:29 AM  
Blogger West Ham Rising said...

When's the epic Leeds v. Motherwell match?

9:30 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

It starts at the top of the hour. I've just dialed up a link for Kaiser Chiefs v. Spurs:

http://nwxyz.blogspot.com/

9:31 AM  
Blogger West Ham Rising said...

I'll check back in during the Leeds match . . . time now for breakfast . . .

9:33 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Cheerio, mate.

9:37 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

0-0 in the first half here in Capetown.

9:37 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Wait - Robbie Keane is back at Spurs? When did that happen?!

9:38 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - Shabalala came really close there. Cudocini did well. According to the commentator, Spurs should be two down.

9:43 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Right, then - the team news out of Fir Park today:

Motherwell: Randolph, Hateley, Hammell, Lasley, Craigan, Hutchinson, Humphrey, Jennings, Higdon, Law, Murphy. Subs: Saunders, Hollis, Page, Lawless, McHugh, Halsman, Forbes, Smith.

United: Rachubka, Connolly, Kisnorbo, Howson, Bromby, White, Clayton, Brown, Paynter, Sam, McCormack. Subs: Cairns, Bruce, Snodgrass, Nunez, Parker, N Turner, L Turner, Lees, Gradel, Thompson.

Referee: W Collum

9:45 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Intriguing line-up from Simon Grayson. Rachubka, who we picked up from Blackpool last week, is clearly the #1 now with Shane Higgs still the understudy. Paddy Kisnorbo is a welcome returnee after his long-term injury anchoring the center of defense. Howson in a defensive midfield role today. Paynter and Ross McCormack are the front pairing with Lloyd Sam in the free role. I don't like the sign of Becchio not being with the side - that almost seems as if Simon's resigned to his leaving the club. However, Gradel is on the bench despite lots of rumors of his leaving.

9:48 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Bentley bent a free kick right at the end of the half there. Closest thing yet for Tottenham.

Half-time in South Africa then. 0-0.

9:49 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

No link for the match at Fir Park, so I'm following on-line at the LUFC website. We have kicked off.

10:03 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Lively opening to the match at Fir Park with Lloyd Sam finding Billy Paynter in the box early doors. The striker pulled his shot wide, though.

10:09 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Brad Friedel is making his Spurs debut today in South Africa.

10:09 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Our new keeper Paul Rachubka has been called into action, saving well at the near post. Nice clip to the match.

10:14 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

We absolutely hammered Falkirk in mid-week, so Grayson will be looking for another decent return today.

10:15 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Terrific away support for the LUFC today, giving a zippy atmosphere to the match at Fir Park.

10:19 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

New signing from Portsmouth Michael Brown is the one sitting in central midfield, allowing Jonny Howson to roam freely.

10:20 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Leeds have the ball in the net!

Unfortunately, it's ruled offside as Paynter pokes home Clayton's cross. Looking good, though.

10:26 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - Motherwell's Steven Hammell smashes one against the post. A let off for our lot.

10:27 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Oh - Peter Crouch went close. Still 0-0 there in the closing moments.

0-0 as well at Fir Park after half an hour.

10:31 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Rafael Van der Vaart over a free kick now for Spurs.

High and wide.

10:33 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Rain now fairly heavy at Fir Park. It's having an effect on the play.

10:39 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Penalty to Leeds!!!!!!

McCormack steps up....and's it's saved. Darren Randolph diving to his left. Bugger!!

10:40 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Coming to the end of the the first half at Fir Park. Still 0-0. We should be leading at this point.

10:40 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Bugger! Motherwell 1-0 up after 39 minutes.

Chris Humphrey found space on the right and his cross was converted by Jamie Murphy at the far post.

10:43 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

McCormack has the ball in the net but the whistle had already gone for a previous infringement. So we've had two disallowed and a saved penalty. We should be in front!

10:43 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

And that's half time. I'm off to do a couple of errands. I'll be back.

10:44 AM  
Blogger West Ham Rising said...

West Ham 2 nil up at Bishop Stortford . . . .looks like we'll be going up for sure . . .

10:52 AM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Way hay - I'm back from my errands to see that my mighty Whites have dispatched Motherwell in the second half 2-1 with a goal from Alex Bruce from a corner and a stunning solo effort from Ramon Nunez. The little Honduran looks like a real live wire. We'll need his guile if Max Gradel does go to Lille.

12:19 PM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

Well done, the Hammers. LUFC and WHU to go up?

12:19 PM  
Blogger The Blue Devil said...

In other friendly news, Chelski have seen off Pompey, Crewe have seen off Wolves 2-1 and Accrington Stanley have been pipped 1-2 by Blackburn.

12:24 PM  
Blogger manunitedrules said...

GOAL!!! cHARLIE aDAM HAS GIVEN THE sCOUSE SOCKS THE LEAD FROM THE SPOT SENDING THE KEEPER THE WRONG WAY.

1:31 PM  
Blogger manunitedrules said...

GOAL 1-1 AS MALAYSIA TIE IT UP WITH A BRILLIANT FREE KICK FROM JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX THAT GAVE BRAD JONES NO CHANCE. THE FREE KICK WAS THANKS TO A STUPID HAND BALL FROM CHARLIE ADAM.

1:47 PM  

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