OT We call it football over here

CPFC1905

Still no proper football to discuss,  but some bloke called Wayne Rooney wants a bit more money and attention so there's an 'England' game tonight.  
We are playing some plucky upstarts called 'USA'.    Not sure what corner of the globe they hail from, but we probably ruled it a few years ago.   

My prediction is; the game will start, at some point Rooney will emerge, there might be a goal or two and then, mercifully, it will end and we'll say no more about it.

It would be interesting to see what the 'USA-ers' make of England, while we are in unprecedented political chaos, have an isolated leader and difficult relationships with former allies and trading partners.   I bet it's all calm and stable where they come from. 

Eoin

The question everyone is asking is whether Wayne can complete a lap of the park without running out of puff!

They say a country gets the politicians it deserves, but I'm really not sure that we deserve this shower of sh1t.

Foghorn

"They say a country gets the politicians it deserves, but I'm really not sure that we deserve this shower of sh1t."

I'm pretty sure that we do.

I think @CPFC1905's prediction is probably spot on.  Very different from the last time these two great nations battled on the football pitch.  We're hoping Robert Green will be in goal again - and once again unable to stop a shot from Clint Dempsey's weaker foot.  

My family and I were at that game on a cold winter night (28F) in Rustenburg - although you'd never know it from looking at my daughter (she actually had a heavy overcoat that she took off for photo opportunities).

CPFC1905

They are all hapless narcissists trying to score cheap points from each other while no-one is minding the shop.  Opportunism has overtaken altruism - completely.

Irrespective of her political orientation, the PM was fed a hospital pass of the highest order by the brainless majority of the electorate.  'Go do a deal with a bunch of people who don't want a deal and don't give monkeys'.

Bring back the benign dictator.  Democracy is a busted flush. 

Foghorn

Yeah, there was a time when helping another country replace their government with a democratic one seemed like and good and benevolent thing to do (if one ignores all the obvious reasons why we shouldn't interfere with other countries' governments) - but at this point, to tell a country that they should embrace democracy so they can have a government like ours (or yours apparently) seems like a foolhardy endeavor.  I don't know that it can be done with a straight face.

CPFC1905

While the Wayne Rooney love-in was affronting our eyes,  Spain were getting a learning off Croatia.    Welcome back Route 1 football and not letting the fancy Dans float about caressing the ball.
Only problem being that Croatia come to Wembley on Sunday.  Despite the 'Nations League' being of no stature, it has conjured a meaningful match.  Spain are top - but whoever wins on Sunday, goes through. 

Eoin

Foghorn said:

Yeah, there was a time when helping another country replace their government with a democratic one seemed like and good and benevolent thing to do (if one ignores all the obvious reasons why we shouldn't interfere with other countries' governments) - but at this point, to tell a country that they should embrace democracy so they can have a government like ours (or yours apparently) seems like a foolhardy endeavor.  I don't know that it can be done with a straight face.

Unfortunately, it usually ended up as us supporting a not at all benign dictator on the sole basis that they were 'on our side'. China have now taken over the mantle of supporting anyone as long as they get access to the resources, seems the process of exploitation will carry on for some time yet.

CPFC1905

Odds for Sunday;
England win is about even money,
Draw just under 3/1
Croatia win just over 3/1

(desperately trying to keep this football thread on track before is gets modded-off... )

Eoin

CPFC1905 said:............(desperately trying to keep this football thread on track before is gets modded-off... )

Easily done, I'm sure I can find a suitable image to post.

CPFC1905

Eoin said:

CPFC1905 said:............(desperately trying to keep this football thread on track before is gets modded-off... )

Easily done, I'm sure I can find a suitable image to post.

Especially if you are in any of my sons WhatsApp groups!

Don't want to wither on the vine before Pompey @Keefy65 has joined in. 

Foghorn

Is David James still between the sticks for Portsmouth?

On a more appropriate note, I guessing that nobody was surprised by the 3-0 victory by the 3 Lions.  I sure wasn't.  A team full of starters and stars in the first level of European football ought to be able to beat a team of players who are largely struggling to earn playing time in Europe - or playing in MLS.  It's not really clear to me how any US fan actually gets their hopes up and actually thinks we can compete with the best teams from Europe and South America.

Our national team definitely took a step backwards in 2013-15 when Dempsey, Bradley, Jones, and Altidore all moved from Europe to MLS where they weren't competing with the best in the world on a daily basis.  

The jury is still out on our young players.

CPFC1905

Foghorn said:

Is David James still between the sticks for Portsmouth?

On a more appropriate note, I guessing that nobody was surprised by the 3-0 victory by the 3 Lions.  I sure wasn't.  A team full of starters and stars in the first level of European football ought to be able to beat a team of players who are largely struggling to earn playing time in Europe - or playing in MLS.  It's not really clear to me how any US fan actually gets their hopes up and actually thinks we can compete with the best teams from Europe and South America.

Our national team definitely took a step backwards in 2013-15 when Dempsey, Bradley, Jones, and Altidore all moved from Europe to MLS where they weren't competing with the best in the world on a daily basis.  

The jury is still out on our young players.

Not really surprised or bothered.  The whole Rooney send-off thing felt a bit awkward.  Southgate was asked if he thought it was a good thing to do,  then eulogised about Rooney's attitude and effect on players - anything but say 'yes'.  There's more interest in the match tomorrow against Croatia which will be less than friendly.  

It is customary for England to look fantastic over the next 18 months,  with very little at stake.   Casting my cynic hat aside - it is refreshing to see young and enthusiastic players joining the squad.  I am still marred by the stagnant years from about 1985 until - well now, really.  Tepid football, played by beer soaked hoofers.  Three good games in about 25 years (Italia 90 QF, Euro 96 v Holland, and, the 2001 5-1 in Germany).  

I think we missed the chance in the WC,  but the win against Spain last month was exciting and if we do well tomorrow I'll feel more perky.   Southgate has certainly confounded the nay-sayers.  And he's a good bloke - or was 30 years ago when I sat next to him at College. 

Germany are off colour, France lost to the Dutch last night and Belgium will wobble as their golden generation begins to peter out.   Spain and Portugal are more interesting, I can see the latter taking the attention as Spain begin to use faith in tiki taka. 

Odd thing for USA.  For what its worth, I think the international scene is a lower priority than establishing MLS' presence and commercial value at home.  'Soccernomincs' will tell you how far the national team will progress, and when.
Perhaps they will have a team int he Eurpoean Super League (all of whom will be owned by oligarchs of variable ethical repute.) 
 
Ok - thats me done, I need to gather most of a pig's rib cage in advance of tomorrows cook.

CPFC1905

As we all suspected, the Nations League is a genius idea and proves beyond doubt that England will win every competition for the next decade.

That's more or less the media coverage here,  albeit hastily re-written after 70 minutes of yesterday's game.

Be patient though - our view of life through the prism of PL comes back on Saturday with 7 (yes, seven - count them all!) matches.   Chelsea away to Spurs  is the big one.

Eoin

It's just positive that we play attacking football and don't look scared of the opposition.

CPFC1905

OMG!  It’s been like forever!   But footy's back, back, back.   I am told that Thanksgiving is a thing and its been & gone.  We had Bonfire Night - so we’re about equal.

Just a quick round-up of what's happened.   England fans have returned to our second favourite past time of counting chickens before they’ve hatched.  We are on an unstoppable march to world domination.  At some point we’ll return to our primary past time of bemoaning the awfulness of our disgrace of a national team.   Keep it binary, thats the spirit.

And in other football news; Patrice Evra has taken to licking chickens,  thats not liking or finger lickin’ - actual proper licking of raw chicken.   He may not be match fit for Saturday.    Elsewhere the deputy head of FIFA’s Ethics Committee has been arrested for corruption. 

On to matters more prescient;

My next door neighbours,  Brighton welcome Leicester to the seaside.  The hosts need to return to winning ways after two defeats and predicting this one is tough.  The Foxes have stood up to the aftermath of the fatal crash well,  but the step in to a new era now and their famously fickle senior players need to step up.  Reflecting my prevarications, its a 1-1 from me.

Cardiff are riding the crest of a one match winning streak, but that was at home and they have amassed one point on their travels. This week they go to Everton  A return to normality for them, 2-0 to Everton.

Fulham were first to pull the trigger on their manager, after an unusually static period for PL top-men.  Claudio Ranieri takes the reins and will probably get a tune out of the mish-mash of a squad he has.  Not straightaway though.  Just as well that it is moribund Southampton coming to town.  A terrible game of much huffing and puffing, 1-0 to Fulham feels about right and Hughes sacked on Sunday.  

The goal-shy Palace team head to Old Trafford and will undoubtedly make a spirited effort for about 50 to 60 minutes, but return to Croydon (a place of beauty, shimmering on the southern tip of London) pointless.  Popular beat combo’ Mumford & Sons have predicted Palace will score,  whilst losing.  That's a portent of a 4-0 hammering then.   You may not know or care about Mumford & Sons.  A lot of people over here did, for one Summer, because of their eclectic brand of harmony and fiddle.  Despite the name, they are not an Irish paternal folk outfit. Just a bunch of posh-boys who captured a hipster vibe.  Lovely chaps though, I’m sure, and good like to them. 

Watford Liverpool will be more interesting.  Last year the ‘Ornets terrified a spineless Liverpool team - but not so likely this year.  Monolithic omni-presence VVD will probably put the frighteners on them and their loveable scamp (former convict) Troy Deeney.  2-1 to Jurgen’s men, but it will be sweaty and tough.

West Ham’s faded glory and misfits gang will get to see what quality actually looks like when Man City cruise in to town.   Manuel Pellegrini might want to put one over his former employers,  but probably want be bothered as he made fortune out of them - and is making loads of dosh now as well as result.   Man City are just too good for everyone else.  They’ll score a few times and Arnautovic might as well.  But look out for a collectors item;  the rarely seen Andy Carroll.  Half man, half horse, half giant geordie-beast.  Man City will have just tapped in their third, the big man will be summoned - he’ll elbow a few blokes in the face and score a screaming header from about 40 yards,  then get injured.   Thats Andy!.  3-1 to the blues.

In the Championship Stoke welcome QPR.   Stoke need a win to keep on the coat tails of the top six, but QPR have solidified since a wretched launch to the season.   I think they can do it.  A nervy 1-0 keeps momentum in their season just when they need it.  A reverse will see QPR nudging the play-offs though and they’ll want a piece of that pie.

Oooosh - 5.30 is Spurs v Chelsea. The big match of the day.  Full of stars, sparkle and silky skills.  The best of the rest face off for, to be frank, an ultimately meaningless encounter because neither will win the PL and both with be in the top 4.  All that aside, a multi-goal decent match.  2-3 for Chelsea with Barkley getting the winner - as he’s in my FF team.  

Sunday offers leaner pickings;

Arsenal travel to well-placed Bournemouth for the lunch-timer.  2-2, not over-thinking that one.

4 o’clock is Wolves at home to Huddersfield.  Er, so that’ll be fun - perhaps.  Hopefully wolves will wake up again and win this by a few goals to keep Huddersfield down where they belong.  I suspect 2-0 for the gold clad midlanders. 

Monday sees Newcastle travel to fellow cold weather-immune northerners; Burnley.  Newcastle could be on the verge of getting under-way, finally, this season.  Burnley could be on the verge of getting under-way, finally, this season.  The Toon would love something from this.  Burnley ought to be able to muster enough resistance.  Low scoring for sure.  I’m going 1-0 to Burnley. 

Foghorn

Just for kicks, I’ll throw out a couple of predictions for comparison. 

Arsenal win 2-1. 

Southampton and Fulham end up with the weekend’s least watchable game at 0-0.

i can’t take issue with any of your other predictions. 

Foghorn

Looks like a totally blew the Southhampton/Fulham prediction.

Eoin

Good point for Palace at MU today. Poor point for Stoke, having an unbeaten run is great, but not if you draw every game. 

CPFC1905

One thing I neglected from my predictions was that Jose is a well-known and huge Palace fan.    He loves the Eagles and is just biding time until he is allowed to his spiritual home of Selhurst Park.    While that's not all true, he is popular amongst Palace fans because he always applauds them.  Anyhoo - a total bonus points there.

QPR will be happier with the draw, for sure.  However, Stoke are scoring and not losing - so not all bad. 

How about them there Spurs then?  Flew out the traps and gave the Chels' a dose of something unexpected.  

No sign of Geordie-beast Andy Carroll though.  Rumour has it he picked up a butt strain on the bench and he's out for a few weeks again.   Such a shame after fighting back from the strained shoulder he got putting his hair up in a man-bun, last month. 

Eoin

Alternatively, Stoke are crap at the back and just about managing to score enough to avoid losing.

CPFC1905

Eoin said:

Alternatively, Stoke are crap at the back and just about managing to score enough to avoid losing.

Spoken like a true fan.
That's why these Jonny-come-lately glory hunting supporters of Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd (in my day Liverpool and Spurs) - don't really get the spirit of being a proper football fan.  Every victory is because the oppo' threw it in the net, every draw is a fluke and every defeat is as expected. 
Its kept me hooked for 40 years!

bgebrent

We call it football here too. Simple issue, not continent dependent. Go Atlanta FC!

CPFC1905

bgebrent said:

We call it football here too. Simple issue, not continent dependent. Go Atlanta FC!

And going well they are too!

CPFC1905

Big win for @eoin 's  Stoke over 'FrankLampard'sDerbyCounty'' last night.  Goals, a red card and a hasty Luis Suarez re-enactment.   Two winnable games up next - is this their moment? 

Eoin

A run of draws looks much better with a win on the end of it.  Stoke 12th, 5 points off the play off spots and 11 points off the top. In the Premiership, there's a 20 point gap from top to 12th with 6 fewer games played!

6 games in December takes us over the half way point in the season.  Hoping for more progress in the next month.

CPFC1905

Welcome along to a fairly bang-average looking weekend of football,  despite Derby Sunday - where the tv companies have shuffled the fixture list to manufacture a day of excitement before the Christmas shopping goes totally nuts.   

And at this point I have to express my ire towards all the people along my street that think its ok to lace their house frontage with the lights from an ocean going liner, and, more to the point - scare the bejesus out of my dog with these awful illuminated reindeer ‘hopping’ across the lawn.  She hates them - but at least she gets to growl at them,  I can only seethe.  

On to the matches.  I confidently predict Cardiff tuning over Wolves 2-1.   Many would not have, but I do.  Mainly because that's what happened already, last night.   

Perhaps we are at a churn point in the league?  The hopeless duffers up to a couple of weeks ago have all surged (Huddersfield, Cardiff, Newcastle) and the early surgers are slowing down (Bournemouth, Wolves, Watford).  

Palace first up for Saturday’s fun.  Hosting the off colour Burnley - so robust last season but a ghost of that now.  Both teams desperately need something out of this.  Palace are gun shy and have not won at home since about 1998.   Frankly, this has Burnley winning 1-0 all over it.   They would also happily take the point and therefore not venture beyond their own penalty box.  It’s chuffing down with rain and my brother is going to the match - and we all know what that combination means, don’t we?    Literally nothing, but at least you can look out for him on the TV.

Huddersfield welcome Brighton and this could go in any direction.   A home win seems most likely, but Brighton are more robust than last year.  Procrastinators favourite : 1-1 

Leicester will beat Watford.  The foxes have stood up well to the difficulties presented in recent weeks and it seems that through adversity they have formed a closer bond, resulting in solid performances.  Watford are doing what Watford do,  yo-yo up and down the league.  You can’t rule out a goal from them but its a home win today 2-1.

Man City will this week beat (insert name) 3-0.   Bournemouth next up to the meat grinder.  Bournemouth have done well this season and some of their team have really come of age.  Can they beat the blues?  Not a chance - but I wager it will be a fine spectacle.

Newcastle and West Ham might peak in the 11th minute,  for that is when the intelligentsia amongst the Toon Army will ‘walk-in’ as a protest towards the owner ‘Cockney’ Mike Ashley.  He really is not a cockney, but perhaps I am focussing not he wrong issue.   

Still pining for Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer, Malcom MacDonald and Jimmy Nail (oh no, he’s an actor/singer of little renown) the Geordies remain convinced that as fans, they actually own the club and even their dogs would be better at running it.  Independent data (the league table and Mike Ashley phenomenal business success) suggest otherwise.     

However, they will be at fever pitch at the prospect of glimpsing one time hero (who they massively over-sold to Liverpool 7 years ago - his single greatest contribution to anything linked to football) : The Lesser Spotted Andy Carroll.   At some point he will inevitably make his single appearance fo the season as a substitute - perhaps its today?  Let’s hope for classic Carroll, that blend of rage, violence, hair, prodigious heading ability and being carried off on a stretcher.   2-2 I’m saying because I just don’t know what will happen.

Moan-Fest at the Saints!.   Terminally glum meets terminally gloomy.  Jose brings his lads to meet Mark ‘Sparky’ Hughes’ bunch of under-achievers at Southampton.  I do think Jose is ‘enigmatic’,  but Hughes is a buffoonish blame-monger - it’s always someone else’s fault.   I think Utd will do the business, a standard 0-2 away win for them today.   One step closer the exit for Sparky.

Stoke are on a roll,  great result against Frank Lampard in mid-week.  Another three points down at strugglers Reading will do nicely and continue their trudge north in the league.  2-1 to the Stripey Stokies

Sunday and derby are both words that, in various spelling formats, can be used to describe a dessert.  And in our case three local derbies are indeed the dessert course this weekend.  (I do apologise for those two sentiences) 

Chelsea host posh-boy neighbours Fulham in the South Chiswick derby.   Fulham are solidifying under Ranieri - but they won’t have enough to repel the Blues,  who got a right b*llocking off Sarri this week after their abject display losing to Spurs.  Expect a shuffle of the pack and a lot more zip about them today.  I will go for a 3-0 Chelsea win, I just sense they will react well.  But then again its lunchtime on Sunday, so may be 1-0.  I can’t give two predictions so I’ll settle on 2-0 to the Chels’

The Norf Lundun derby (part 1) comes around next. Should be a whole bunch of fun.   The spite has gone out of this fixture, but both teams are flowing in lovely fashion.  Really tough to call, both teams resting players mid-week in Europe - so expect strongest possible teams and lots of energy.  It will be 3-2, one way or the other. Would be handy if Lacazette & Erikssen do the scoring, as I am looking at a grim FF outcome otherwise. 

A Scouse-fest finishes things off.  The famously friendly rivalry across Stanley Park, round 1, is at Anfield.  For that reason the Reds are favourites and judging by performances and relative quality that should be the case.  2-1 to the Pool.

Eoin

Weather miserable, so a bit of football watching is in order this weekend. How much long can Mark Hughes hold on?

CPFC1905

@Eoin @YEMTrey @bgebrent @Foghorn

Stoke let it slip at the death, total gear grinder.
Palace romp to 2-0 win,  could have been about 20 - apparently.
No sign of the Gerodie-beast Andy Carroll.
Early indications of a goal fest at Southampton...

It's been fun, but we're sinking lads.  Holed below the waterline.

I shall try to circumvent the algorithm, but there not many different names appearing in the thread.

Pork butt.
Charcoal.
Smoker.
Daisy wheel.
Deer.
Rib-eye.
MiniMax.
Costco.
Internal temp.
Turkey.
Ribs.
Brisket.

(and that conclude the shipping forecast!  Hilarious joke there that only @eoin might understand)

Eoin

Your going to have to do a re-start on this thread @CPFC1905

Foghorn

Best lump?

Fat up?

Big Green Egg #1 !!!!!!!!