Football

[The Hallucinating Goose]

4 hours ago, HawkMan said:

National anthem antics and nationalism in general effects many soccer occasions. Romania vs Kosovo was held up for 50 minutes whilst the crowd chanted pro Serbia anthems. It's because Football is a national sport, fans wrongly believe victory over a rival nation is a showing of national superiority. If Scotland had won the fans would like to think its a victory over England on a national importance level, it's not of course. 

RL isn't national sport except in PNG, so if England beat the Kangaroos it's a sporting victory,  not a put down of the nation of Australia as a whole.  That's my theory anyway.

I think to build on your good point as well, it is because football is so ingrained into so many peoples' lives. There are people who's entire identity, entire existence revolves around the football team they support and so everything they do has to be linked to their team. Everyone these people know, they have met through football and this will include political affiliations. So if a football fan meets a group of politically like minded individuals at a football game then they all associate their politics with football. Football is the one constant that runs through everything these people do. I've known people just like this myself. 

[gingerjon]

FA Cup live: Tadcaster Albion v Chester

Today at 12.30

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/66719131

[Stirlin]

[HawkMan]

43 minutes ago, Stirlin said:

Everton's new stadium takes shape, approved by 777 the new American owners, in readiness for the slide to tier 10.

Edited September 16, 2023 by HawkMan

[Dunbar]

Don't watch this if you don't enjoy strong language, but I thought it was hilarious. 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Dunbar

[DI Keith Fowler]

On 16/09/2023 at 19:13, HawkMan said:

Everton's new stadium takes shape, approved by 777 the new American owners, in readiness for the slide to tier 10.

In fairness the slope is pretty sensible it should block out most of the smell from the sewage treatment plant next door.

[Red Willow]

This pitch hosted a big final shown live on TV, 4th biggest town

[HawkMan]

Wow ! I genuinely had no idea the Premier League was worth so much.

5bn domestically from '22 to'25, and NBC alone pay 2bn, and that's the American market,  is it that popular in the USA ?

Changes afoot to tv deals in future and radical change to fixture calendar due to increase in Champions League format and club WC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66872347

[HawkMan]

Brighton and Hove Albion,  an incredible success story reaches a peak achievement tonight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-66660443

[tim2]

2 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Brighton and Hove Albion,  an incredible success story reaches a peak achievement tonight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-66660443

Their second goal on Saturday v Man Utd was a thing of beauty.

I've recently started going to my local team again, just occasionally. It's £20+ to get in (same as Sheffield Eagles). They are playing tier 5 and are all full time pros. Crowds of 7000-9000.

The actual surprising thing is that the standard of football is better than in my youth. Maybe the players aren't relatively as good as when we were in the old Division 3, but they are playing a 4-2-3-1 formation and only hoof it up front when absolutely necessary. They will probably never score a goal like Brighton did, but they are trying.

The players are definitely fitter and the new stadium is 100 times a better place to watch the game. Crowds are up from around 3000-4000 average back then, dropping to fewer than 2000 if things weren't going well. 

[Sidi Fidi Gold]

27 minutes ago, tim2 said:

Their second goal on Saturday v Man Utd was a thing of beauty.

I've recently started going to my local team again, just occasionally. It's £20+ to get in (same as Sheffield Eagles). They are playing tier 5 and are all full time pros. Crowds of 7000-9000.

The actual surprising thing is that the standard of football is better than in my youth. Maybe the players aren't relatively as good as when we were in the old Division 3, but they are playing a 4-2-3-1 formation and only hoof it up front when absolutely necessary. They will probably never score a goal like Brighton did, but they are trying.

The players are definitely fitter and the new stadium is 100 times a better place to watch the game. Crowds are up from around 3000-4000 average back then, dropping to fewer than 2000 if things weren't going well. 

Would that be Chesterfield?

Regarding the football being better than in your youth, I think, with the exception of a few teams, football in the 1970s was far better than the 1980s and early 1990s and it took until the late 1990s for football to considerably move on from the 1970s

[MattSantos]

5 hours ago, Sidi Fidi Gold said:

Would that be Chesterfield?

Regarding the football being better than in your youth, I think, with the exception of a few teams, football in the 1970s was far better than the 1980s and early 1990s and it took until the late 1990s for football to considerably move on from the 1970s

Back pass rule changed everything.

[gingerjon]

Nothing in this but a nod in the direction of the *scale* of football in this country.

By my count, there are 21 live football matches being shown today either on mainstream broadcast or easily accessible free online platforms. About a dozen more if you subscribe to specific league/club channels and, obviously, another few if you locate a dodgy Premier League feed.

Right now, as I wait for the start of the next women's RL semi final, I can take my pick on the Sky EPG between live games from England, Scotland, Germany, Spain and Italy.

[17 stone giant]

Not a great performance last night by England Lionesses, but some superb headers to secure the win (and another that was disallowed). Hopefully will improve a bit for the Netherlands away game on Tuesday - I think they'll need to!

[17 stone giant]

2 hours ago, gingerjon said:

By my count, there are 21 live football matches being shown today either on mainstream broadcast or easily accessible free online platforms. About a dozen more if you subscribe to specific league/club channels and, obviously, another few if you locate a dodgy Premier League feed.

It's certainly come a long way from having only the ITV match at 3pm on Sunday's.

[Maximus Decimus]

Everton finally managed to get a win, and a very well deserved one.

I don't know their circumstances, and maybe Everton just played like Man City, but Brentford looked truly dreadful and devoid of any threat at home against a team with one point from 5 games.

[Gerrumonside ref]

10 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

Everton finally managed to get a win, and a very well deserved one.

I don't know their circumstances, and maybe Everton just played like Man City, but Brentford looked truly dreadful and devoid of any threat at home against a team with one point from 5 games.

Certainly they are missing Ivan Toney up front and will be counting the weeks and days until he can return from his gambling ban.

I thought Dwight McNeil probably had one of his best days in an Everton shirt yesterday forcing Bryan Mbuemo down the Brentford right further and further back to deal with him.

It was a positive team performance where the pressing of Brentford, in particularly Jansson, lead to a lot of poor distribution and misplaced passing that Everton seized upon.

I think Beto (despite missing a couple of chances) held the ball up well and brought others into the attack for the Blues.

On the whole, I’ve always thought Everton’s home form will keep them safe from  relegation this year, but even in that respect they’ve had a rough start to 2023/24 so yesterday’s win makes up some lost ground.

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Gerrumonside ref

[HawkMan]

1 hour ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

 

On the whole, I’ve always thought Everton’s home form will keep them safe from  relegation this year, but even in that respect they’ve had a rough start to 2023/24 so yesterday’s win makes up some lost ground.

 

Luton sadly look out of their depth, Burnley play nice football but have no cutting edge, so maybe Everton will stay up by default. Sheffield United are the only promoted team I can see having a chance to stay up. Before anyone says, this is no worry for the game, last season all 3 promoted teams stayed up, so swings and roundabouts. It wouldn't surprise me if the same 6 teams involved in the promotion/ relegation between PL and Championship were involved again, but in reverse.

Edited September 24, 2023 by HawkMan

[DavidM]

I just don’t think that’s a penalty . Handball seems a bit of a lottery 

[Gerrumonside ref]

5 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Luton sadly look out of their depth, Burnley play nice football but have no cutting edge, so maybe Everton will stay up by default. Sheffield United are the only promoted team I can see having a chance to stay up. Before anyone says, this is no worry for the game, last season all 3 promoted teams stayed up, so swings and roundabouts. It wouldn't surprise me if the same 6 teams involved in the promotion/ relegation between PL and Championship were involved again, but in reverse.

Oh dear  

[HawkMan]

8 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Oh dear  

I didn't say it was a good chance!!

I also said,

It wouldn't surprise me if the same 6 teams involved in the promotion/ relegation between PL and Championship were involved again, but in reverse.

Bl00dy blowouts , reduce the Prem to 10 teams,  it's the only answer.

Edited September 24, 2023 by HawkMan

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

I didn't say it was a good chance!!

I also said,

It wouldn't surprise me if the same 6 teams involved in the promotion/ relegation between PL and Championship were involved again, but in reverse.

Bl00dy blowouts , reduce the Prem to 10 teams,  it's the only answer.

The problem with reducing the Prem to 10 teams though is that it will really stifle expansion, I mean how are we supposed to grow football if there isn't a clear opportunity for new teams to get into the main competition? Broadcasters certainly won't be interested in covering it if we don't have teams in Hemel Hempstead and Cornwall! 

[17 stone giant]

In my view it should have been a straight red for Nketiah for that tackle on the goalkeeper. Really not sure how that is only a yellow. It's an awful tackle. Just fortunate the goalkeeper was able to lift his foot slightly off the ground or it could easily have been a leg breaker.

[HawkMan]

On 23/09/2023 at 17:39, gingerjon said:

Nothing in this but a nod in the direction of the *scale* of football in this country.

By my count, there are 21 live football matches being shown today either on mainstream broadcast or easily accessible free online platforms. About a dozen more if you subscribe to specific league/club channels and, obviously, another few if you locate a dodgy Premier League feed.

Right now, as I wait for the start of the next women's RL semi final, I can take my pick on the Sky EPG between live games from England, Scotland, Germany, Spain and Italy.

For someone who has been a bit ill recently I'm glad of the football available every day really.

Started watching the Man Utd/ Palace game, that was over as a contest on the hour, switched to Kilmarnock v Hearts, that was entertaining for the last half hour, now watching Barcelona losing in Mallorca,  oh b#####ks they’ve equalised as I post this , and recorded Rochdale v Chesterfield which I'll watch afterwards.

Edited September 26, 2023 by HawkMan

[ivans82]

I personally want an explanation why Everton have started winning  .  They have gone from Coupon bankers to lose to Coupon busters inside a week    !