The British & Irish Football Thread

[tob]

Well done Pizzamorg good start in the Champions League.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by tob

The Celtic result didn't surprise me gvortex7 the Scottish clubs find it hard to adjust to this level of football in Europe because of the small league they have and the other clubs from small nations in Europe.

Yep, it doesn't matter how big they hype up Scottish football to be (like the Old Firm rivalry) it'll always be a very poor relation to its English cousin, not that the EPL is the best league in the world either!

If anything it shows you how scary the lack of depth is in Scottish football: Celtic thrash the newly-promoted Rangers 5-1 but then get destroyed 7-0 themselves by Barca.

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by tob

Well done Pizzamorg good start in the Champions League.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Great start to life in the Champions League, Pizza!

Thanks Guys! Working new shifts so only got to catch the second half but I've seen those two, very tidy, first half goals. Albrighton... and in that fashion, who'da thunk it?

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep, it doesn't matter how big they hype up Scottish football to be (like the Old Firm rivalry) it'll always be a very poor relation to its English cousin, not that the EPL is the best league in the world either!

If anything it shows you how scary the lack of depth is in Scottish football: Celtic thrash the newly-promoted Rangers 5-1 but then get destroyed 7-0 themselves by Barca.

You're right about the Scottish league, as I always thought it paled in comparison to its English counterpart, but I think you're wrong about the EPL. I think it is the best league in the world, along with the German and Spanish leagues. Although parity is almost none existent in the Spanish one beyond 3-4 teams.

[Geoff D]

Eh, it's probably the most exciting league in the world but on a technical level so much of it is still the old 'kick and rush' style, it's caveman stuff compared to what the Spanish are doing at the highest level.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Eh, it's probably the most exciting league in the world but on a technical level so much of it is still the old 'kick and rush' style, it's caveman stuff compared to what the Spanish are doing at the highest level.

I agree Geoff that the English league is still behind to the Spanish on a technical level you only have to look at the past history of European cup winners for a example to see the difference but apart from one or two teams in the top flight West.Brom and Stoke the kick and rush football is fast disappearing in club level in my opinion.
We see the kick and rush football more at international level where the English and us Irish fall back on again and again to get out of trouble that is where the big problem is.

[Pizzamorg]

Not really sure what to take away from today's performance. Burnley are, if we're being honest, one of the weaker sides in this years campaign and they effectively gave up after Silmani scored in the opening moments of the second half. So did we carry the momentum of a tremendous Champions League debut into the game or were we only as good as Burnley were bad? It certainly might suggest that, given how we've performed against teams at the other end of the spectrum of the table. Still, it's nice to see Silmani look so comfortable in a Foxes shirt so quickly either way and Leicester are right on target for where I thought they would be this season (at least in terms of points on the board, maybe not so much their performances).

[Geoff D]

However it happened, this is precisely the sort of win that the reigning champions of England should be putting together over newly-promoted opposition. Leicester have taken a while to get going this season but if y'all can keep bashing the smaller clubs and nicking a few points from the bigger boys then it could be another smashing season.

Palace v Stoke tomoz. All the pundits, bookies etc are tipping Palace for it after Stoke's horrendous start to the season, but every time we get tipped for something we fall flat on our faces. I fancy Stoke to nick the points, but then I would say that. Thank **** I'm working, I won't have to suffer through it on TV, but on the other hand it might be because I'm not watching it that they'll win!

[gvortex7]

Nice win for us again today. Great equalizer by Barry in his 600th EPL game. I'm happy for him. Coleman's goal was a beauty as well, I'm surprised he doesn't do this more often, as he is a crafty little player. Lukaku claiming that 3rd goal is funny because he hit nothing but air. But he definitely faked out that goalie pretty good. I can't believe they let Boro's goal stand, as that was clearly a goalie interference.
Anyway, great start by the boys in blue this year, and despite Koeman downplaying our chances for next year's CL, I think we're in pretty good position to get there as long as we stay consistent and continue to improve every game. Go Toffees!!!!

[Geoff D]

Bolasie set up another one today, didn't he? Nice. As I said before, I reckon it took moving away from Palace for him to realise that he needs to consistently produce an end result, the BBC website made the point that he's surrounded by midfield talent at Everton so he's pretty much GOT to deliver in order to keep his place in the team, whereas at Palace he knew he was going to be on the teamsheet regardless.

[tob]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

Nice win for us again today. Great equalizer by Barry in his 600th EPL game. I'm happy for him. Coleman's goal was a beauty as well, I'm surprised he doesn't do this more often, as he is a crafty little player. Lukaku claiming that 3rd goal is funny because he hit nothing but air. But he definitely faked out that goalie pretty good. I can't believe they let Boro's goal stand, as that was clearly a goalie interference.
Anyway, great start by the boys in blue this year, and despite Koeman downplaying our chances for next year's CL, I think we're in pretty good position to get there as long as we stay consistent and continue to improve every game. Go Toffees!!!!

Great start to the season gvortex7 but Coleman plays his best football for Everton but when he plays for us [ Ireland] he doesn't deliver and does not make the runs going forward for us that he does for Everton, that is what i want to see him do more often for Ireland.
Great to see Barry still going and 600 games in the PL is a great achievement.

[losgott]

From recent results looks like man city is gonna take it although... Liverpool and maybe Chelsea can also challenge???

[tob]

Well done Geoff good result today didn't expect Stoke to make this poor start to the season Mark Hughes is under pressure.

[Geoff D]

Cheers tob. As I joked above: I missed the game and they won handsomely, I'll take that thankyouverymuch. Hughes is under pressure but Moyes is also, Sunderland have gotten off to another terrible start and this might just be the season where the formula of the mid-season sacking and subsequent resurrection gets found out.

[Pizzamorg]

Catching up on yesterdays action on Match of The Day. Obviously based upon the MOTD edits which aren't always true depictions of the game. I mean I can only vouch for the Leicester game which is the only one I watched in full this weekend and MOTD really did Burnley no favours and unfairly too.

I think Man City might have this season won by Christmas. I think the closest thing they have to competition this season might be Chelsea, Liverpool can look world class on the day but that side doesn't consistently turn up. Consistency is also something that is plaguing United too. I'm not sure how much I rate Pogba, either, at least when compared to the lofty price tag.

How bad was Wilshere's debut for Bournemouth? Leicester might have dodged a bullet in that regard. Bournemouth are a team who look like they're gonna have a real fight on their hands this year to stay up, I wouldn't be surprised if they go down and take Burnley with them.

It is also pretty unfortunate that Mike Phelan follows up the news he now has a permanent place at the helm of Hull after they defied all the odds by getting utterly thrashed by Arsenal. Again, another performance from a top team which I think was only as good as Hull were bad, who were really poor.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by tob

Great start to the season gvortex7 but Coleman plays his best football for Everton but when he plays for us [ Ireland] he doesn't deliver and does not make the runs going forward for us that he does for Everton, that is what i want to see him do more often for Ireland.
Great to see Barry still going and 600 games in the PL is a great achievement.

Thanks bud. I've noticed that too. I've watched Ireland play a few times in the past few years, and he never plays as well for his national side as he does for us. I never understood that. I wonder if O'neill is just not utilizing (or pushing him) well enough. And he's the captain too. I don't get it.

And congrats on your win by the way. It was impressive. Your squad is finally coming into form after a somewhat slow start.

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Cheers tob. As I joked above: I missed the game and they won handsomely, I'll take that thankyouverymuch. Hughes is under pressure but Moyes is also, Sunderland have gotten off to another terrible start and this might just be the season where the formula of the mid-season sacking and subsequent resurrection gets found out.

Congrats man. Two solid wins in a row, and you're right back in the thick of things. And yeah, Moyes has gotten off to a shockingly bad start at Sunderland. I'm starting to think he may not have it anymore.

[Pizzamorg]

Leicester go two nil up, cruising, and then it turns into an absolute horror show.

[Geoff D]

**** me, what is it with Palace and gifting Defoe goals? Last season at Selhurst, now Ledders at their place. They go 2-0 up and Palace quickly reduce the deficit to 2-1, but this is typical bloody Palace: just when you allow yourself a glimmer of a chance that they *might* actually beat their opposition today, given their respective performances recently, they find a way of shooting themselves in the foot.

Then again, it looks like it's been hard work for a lot of teams today, Utd and Liverpool aside. Bournemouth currently beating Everton!

[Geoff D]

And Palace equalise! Desmond, game on...