THE FOOTBALL THREAD Vol 2
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- Start date
loldude333
New member
Loldude333's predictions for Liverpool vs Manchester United:
Lineups: Liverpool Manchester United
GK Reina Van der Sar
RB Arbeloa Brown
CB Carragher Ferdinand
CB Agger Vidic
LB Riise Evra
RWM Benayoun C. Ronaldo
CM Gerrard Hargreaves
CM Mascherano Anderson
LWM Kewell Nani
CF Crouch Tevez
CF Torres Rooney
Substitues:Itandje Kuszcak
Kuyt Scholes
Babel Carrick
Voronin Saha
Fabio Aurelio G .Neville
Scoreline: 2 - 1
Torres C. Ronaldo
Gerrard
Lineups: Liverpool Manchester United
GK Reina Van der Sar
RB Arbeloa Brown
CB Carragher Ferdinand
CB Agger Vidic
LB Riise Evra
RWM Benayoun C. Ronaldo
CM Gerrard Hargreaves
CM Mascherano Anderson
LWM Kewell Nani
CF Crouch Tevez
CF Torres Rooney
Substitues:Itandje Kuszcak
Kuyt Scholes
Babel Carrick
Voronin Saha
Fabio Aurelio G .Neville
Scoreline: 2 - 1
Torres C. Ronaldo
Gerrard
fgl
Well-known member
Pre- match Report
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 4pm
Arsenal-
Chelsea-
By Richard Clarke
Nothing will be decided this weekend. No trophies will be lifted, no medals handed out.
But it might feel like they should be.
On Sunday, the Premier League’s top four face each other. Manchester United go to Liverpool in the early fixture then Chelsea visit Arsenal. To be honest, on current form, there is not much between any of them.
Early season predictions of a two-horse race have proved unfounded and, if you were to assume that Liverpool would win their game in hand, then the quartet go into this weekend separated by a mere four points after 16 games.
You can see why Arsène Wenger feels this title race will be the most thrilling and open in Premier League history. And this could be its most thrilling weekend.
Hold onto your hats.
"I believe without a doubt that this season will be the most exciting year in the Premier League ever,” he said. “Since I've been here you have never had four teams as tight as this.
“It's very difficult to pick one out of the three contenders. For me all three are the same [strengths] but for different reasons. Chelsea because they have the quality, the experience and have done it. Liverpool because they have invested a lot and are keen to win it and Manchester United because they have the individual potential to score goals at any moment and have done it before.
“It is super-healthy. And this weekend, we have a good opportunity to strengthen our lead again because at least one of Liverpool and Man United will drop points, maybe both. A victory could put us in a very strong position."
Wenger will wait until the final possible moment before ruling on the injuries to Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Alex Hleb (hamstring) and Mathieu Flamini (thigh). All three trained on Friday and afterwards the manager was upbeat about their involvement.
Robin van Persie is back after making his first Arsenal appearance in two months during the win over Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday. However Theo Walcott is out after collecting a knee injury in the same game.
Chelsea have re-grouped under Avram Grant after the departure of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese made for wonderful newspaper copy but the side he produced favoured the functional over the beautiful. The media perception was that Grant would be the opposite. However, at present, the jury is still out on Chelsea’s move from the athletic to aesthetic football. Wenger feels we’ll know more after this match.
"I haven't seen them [under Grant] and anyway to find the real philosophy of a team you have to see them in the big games,” he said. “In the smaller game you can always dominate at home and of course you are always attacking. I think you will see more about the philosophy of Chelsea's game on Sunday."
This game will bring up the three-month anniversary of Arsenal going top of the Premier League. They ascended to the summit after a stirring London derby, a 3-1 win at Tottenham to be precise. Surely it will take performance of similar bravery to maintain their lead.
The manager dismissed the notion that this could be the critical game of campaign only to add: “But I hope we will play in decisive games this season."
Having already matched Manchester United and Liverpool, a victory on Sunday would suggest those “decisive games” are likely to involve Arsenal.
It might tell us the opponents too.
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 4pm
Arsenal-
Chelsea-
By Richard Clarke
Nothing will be decided this weekend. No trophies will be lifted, no medals handed out.
But it might feel like they should be.
On Sunday, the Premier League’s top four face each other. Manchester United go to Liverpool in the early fixture then Chelsea visit Arsenal. To be honest, on current form, there is not much between any of them.
Early season predictions of a two-horse race have proved unfounded and, if you were to assume that Liverpool would win their game in hand, then the quartet go into this weekend separated by a mere four points after 16 games.
You can see why Arsène Wenger feels this title race will be the most thrilling and open in Premier League history. And this could be its most thrilling weekend.
Hold onto your hats.
"I believe without a doubt that this season will be the most exciting year in the Premier League ever,” he said. “Since I've been here you have never had four teams as tight as this.
“It's very difficult to pick one out of the three contenders. For me all three are the same [strengths] but for different reasons. Chelsea because they have the quality, the experience and have done it. Liverpool because they have invested a lot and are keen to win it and Manchester United because they have the individual potential to score goals at any moment and have done it before.
“It is super-healthy. And this weekend, we have a good opportunity to strengthen our lead again because at least one of Liverpool and Man United will drop points, maybe both. A victory could put us in a very strong position."
Wenger will wait until the final possible moment before ruling on the injuries to Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Alex Hleb (hamstring) and Mathieu Flamini (thigh). All three trained on Friday and afterwards the manager was upbeat about their involvement.
Robin van Persie is back after making his first Arsenal appearance in two months during the win over Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday. However Theo Walcott is out after collecting a knee injury in the same game.
Chelsea have re-grouped under Avram Grant after the departure of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese made for wonderful newspaper copy but the side he produced favoured the functional over the beautiful. The media perception was that Grant would be the opposite. However, at present, the jury is still out on Chelsea’s move from the athletic to aesthetic football. Wenger feels we’ll know more after this match.
"I haven't seen them [under Grant] and anyway to find the real philosophy of a team you have to see them in the big games,” he said. “In the smaller game you can always dominate at home and of course you are always attacking. I think you will see more about the philosophy of Chelsea's game on Sunday."
This game will bring up the three-month anniversary of Arsenal going top of the Premier League. They ascended to the summit after a stirring London derby, a 3-1 win at Tottenham to be precise. Surely it will take performance of similar bravery to maintain their lead.
The manager dismissed the notion that this could be the critical game of campaign only to add: “But I hope we will play in decisive games this season."
Having already matched Manchester United and Liverpool, a victory on Sunday would suggest those “decisive games” are likely to involve Arsenal.
It might tell us the opponents too.
ShadowsDiamond
New member
Man U 1 Liverpool 0
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0
fgl
Well-known member
'Signs look good' for Flamini, Fabregas and Hleb
Arsenal v Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sun, Dec 16, 2007, 4pm
By Richard Clarke
The “signs look quite good” for Arsenal’s injured midfield trio ahead of the crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Mathieu Flamini (thigh), Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb (both hamstring) are all back in training and fighting to be fit for what could be a pivotal game in the title race. A decision will be made as late as Sunday morning.
All three collected their injuries during a run of four away games straddling the end of November and the start of December. Arsenal returned home on Wednesday against Steaua Bucharest and, in that game, were able to start Robin van Persie for the first time in two months. He suffered no ill-effects and has been named in the squad but Theo Walcott collected a knock on his knee against the Romanian side. The England winger is definitely out and, of course, question marks remain over those others.
“Who will make it, I don’t know?” said Arsène Wenger at his pre-match press conference. “We know Robin van Persie will be available. As for Mathieu Flamini, Cesc and Alex Hleb, the signs look quite good but we have to make a decision.”
The manager added that if Fabregas was passed fit he would play.
“Theo Walcott is out with a little knee problem,” the Frenchman continued. “That is a question of days and we feel he should be OK for Tuesday maybe.”
Arsenal v Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sun, Dec 16, 2007, 4pm
By Richard Clarke
The “signs look quite good” for Arsenal’s injured midfield trio ahead of the crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Mathieu Flamini (thigh), Cesc Fabregas and Alex Hleb (both hamstring) are all back in training and fighting to be fit for what could be a pivotal game in the title race. A decision will be made as late as Sunday morning.
All three collected their injuries during a run of four away games straddling the end of November and the start of December. Arsenal returned home on Wednesday against Steaua Bucharest and, in that game, were able to start Robin van Persie for the first time in two months. He suffered no ill-effects and has been named in the squad but Theo Walcott collected a knock on his knee against the Romanian side. The England winger is definitely out and, of course, question marks remain over those others.
“Who will make it, I don’t know?” said Arsène Wenger at his pre-match press conference. “We know Robin van Persie will be available. As for Mathieu Flamini, Cesc and Alex Hleb, the signs look quite good but we have to make a decision.”
The manager added that if Fabregas was passed fit he would play.
“Theo Walcott is out with a little knee problem,” the Frenchman continued. “That is a question of days and we feel he should be OK for Tuesday maybe.”
ShadowsDiamond
New member
wooooohoooooooooooooo
ma prediction for man u and liverpool came true
Manu 1 Liv 0
i hope ma prediction for chelsea/arsenal match come true as well..
then i will start buying 4d =D
ma prediction for man u and liverpool came true
Manu 1 Liv 0
i hope ma prediction for chelsea/arsenal match come true as well..
then i will start buying 4d =D
ShadowsDiamond
New member
arsenal and chelsea....
arsenal is toying with chelsea..man, i expected more from chelsea
arsenal is toying with chelsea..man, i expected more from chelsea
KissMyAxe
New member
Haha lucky is not the word to use for Man U. They are just too good to be called lucky...
JaarVis.
New member
hahaha. nehhh. lucky lucky. ronaldo tried to dive then was denied by the refree. i started laughing like hell. hahhaha. then when tevez scored that goal. i was like spamming vulgarities. forgetting my dad was watching too. haha. wahhhh. LUCKY la ! liverpool so many opportunities. van der saar give open goal sia. but wad a miss. nvm. thrilling game.
fgl
Well-known member
Match Report
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 4pm
Arsenal1Gallas 45
Chelsea0
By Richard Clarke
Arsenal retained top spot in the Premier League with a thunderous 1-0 win over Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The only goal of the game came in first-half injury-time when Petr Cech missed a left-wing corner from Cesc Fabregas and William Gallas steered in a header against his old team.
The victory was just about deserved. Arsenal were the slicker team in the first half and weathered an almighty Chelsea storm in the second. Arsène Wenger’s side had two goals ruled out in the dying seconds — on another day both might have stood — and when the full-time whistle blew they were looking the stronger team.
However top-four games are always going to be tight and today had seen a pair of them. ‘Grand Slam’ Sunday resulted in the top two easing away from the other two.
It may be the shape of things to come.
There had been injury doubts over Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini in the build-up to this game. In the end all three started and, perhaps surprisingly, Robin van Persie was left on the bench. However it should be remembered that the Dutchman had made only a 65-minute comeback after two months out with a knee problem in the midweek win over Steaua Bucharest.
The other changes from that game were: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Emmanuel Adebayor. Only Bacary Sagna and Gallas retained their places.
Manchester United’s win at Anfield a few hours had cranked the pressure in this match a notch or two higher. That result had pushed Arsenal down into second and Wenger knew only a victory would retain the status quo.
The opening stages were perhaps too manic for the game’s own good. Fabregas’ deflected free-kick was about as good as it got for either side.
Gradually, the football took over from the frenetic fayre. In the 13th minute, Adebayor pressurised the backtracking Alex into nodding the ball over his own keeper. Fortunately for Chelsea it drifted wide.
The visitors flew up the other end and Shaun Wright-Phillips’s long-range drive forced a flying save from Almunia.
By now, Arsenal were starting to pass the ball nicely. But there was little to test Cech. Fabregas floated a free-kick just over the bar on the half-hour and then it was Almunia’s hands which were stung by a fierce long-range volley from Andrei Shevchenko.
Rosicky rippled the sidenetting shortly afterwards after darting in from the left and, significantly, seven minutes before the break John Terry limped off to be replaced by Tal Ben-Haim. The England captain had been limping since a challenge from Eboue a few minutes earlier.
Arsenal were going into the break in the ascendancy — they had enjoyed the greater possession and territory — however there had been precious little to show for it.
Or so we thought.
Deep into injury time Rosicky was robbed as he burst into the area from the left. Fabregas curled the corner to the far post, Cech missed the ball with a flailing fist and Gallas emerged to nod home.
It was a hammer blow to Chelsea after a competitive first half and they set about redressing the balance straight after the restart.
The visitors stole the initiative from the first whistle but, you sensed, did not quite know what to do with it. This is where the absence of the injured Didier Drogba was being felt. And, of course, Chelsea’s attacking only invited Arsenal to counter. They did not need a second invitation.
In the 57th minute Wright-Phillips curled a low ball across the face of goal. A couple of minutes later Almunia dived full-stretch to prevent John Obi-Mikel’s rasping drive finding the far corner.
Eboue was stretchered off after being felled in mid-flight by Joe Cole. Van Persie came in and immediately caused problems for the Chelsea defence.
To this point, the visitors had struggled to create a close-range chance. They put that right with 15 minutes left, Claudio Pizarro floated in a cross from the left, Shevchenko flicked on and an unmarked Wright-Phillips volleyed woefully wide from six yards out. A glaring miss.
It was the England midfielder’s last touch of the game. Avram Grant brought on another striker, Salomon Kalou, straight away.
The Cameroonian hammered a shot just wide with his first meaningful touch. However that effort came after Arsenal had carved out their best opportunity of the half. Rosicky robbed Joe Cole then Adebayor and Hleb combined in a sweeping move that saw Van Persie hoist his shot over the bar.
The Dutchman thought he had had slid home the killer goal with six minutes left but Adebayor’s pass to Rosicky in the build-up had been ruled offside. In the 88th minute Cech made a wonderful double save from Fabregas as Arsenal pushed forward.
Almost immediately Adebayor strode through and planted a shot home, only for referee Alan Wiley to rule he had held off his marker with a bit too much brute force.
But Chelsea still pressed and Arsenal had to thank Almunia at the death for tipping a fizzing Shevchenko free-kick just over the bar. The last kick of the game saw Fabregas fluff a relatively simple chance after being set-up by substitute Nicklas Bendtner.
The final whistle came a few seconds later. The roar with which was greeted was 50 per cent elation, 50 per cent relief.
It had been that sort of game.
Barclays Premier League
Emirates Stadium
Sunday, December 16, 2007, 4pm
Arsenal1Gallas 45
Chelsea0
By Richard Clarke
Arsenal retained top spot in the Premier League with a thunderous 1-0 win over Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The only goal of the game came in first-half injury-time when Petr Cech missed a left-wing corner from Cesc Fabregas and William Gallas steered in a header against his old team.
The victory was just about deserved. Arsenal were the slicker team in the first half and weathered an almighty Chelsea storm in the second. Arsène Wenger’s side had two goals ruled out in the dying seconds — on another day both might have stood — and when the full-time whistle blew they were looking the stronger team.
However top-four games are always going to be tight and today had seen a pair of them. ‘Grand Slam’ Sunday resulted in the top two easing away from the other two.
It may be the shape of things to come.
There had been injury doubts over Cesc Fabregas, Alex Hleb and Mathieu Flamini in the build-up to this game. In the end all three started and, perhaps surprisingly, Robin van Persie was left on the bench. However it should be remembered that the Dutchman had made only a 65-minute comeback after two months out with a knee problem in the midweek win over Steaua Bucharest.
The other changes from that game were: Manuel Almunia, Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Emmanuel Adebayor. Only Bacary Sagna and Gallas retained their places.
Manchester United’s win at Anfield a few hours had cranked the pressure in this match a notch or two higher. That result had pushed Arsenal down into second and Wenger knew only a victory would retain the status quo.
The opening stages were perhaps too manic for the game’s own good. Fabregas’ deflected free-kick was about as good as it got for either side.
Gradually, the football took over from the frenetic fayre. In the 13th minute, Adebayor pressurised the backtracking Alex into nodding the ball over his own keeper. Fortunately for Chelsea it drifted wide.
The visitors flew up the other end and Shaun Wright-Phillips’s long-range drive forced a flying save from Almunia.
By now, Arsenal were starting to pass the ball nicely. But there was little to test Cech. Fabregas floated a free-kick just over the bar on the half-hour and then it was Almunia’s hands which were stung by a fierce long-range volley from Andrei Shevchenko.
Rosicky rippled the sidenetting shortly afterwards after darting in from the left and, significantly, seven minutes before the break John Terry limped off to be replaced by Tal Ben-Haim. The England captain had been limping since a challenge from Eboue a few minutes earlier.
Arsenal were going into the break in the ascendancy — they had enjoyed the greater possession and territory — however there had been precious little to show for it.
Or so we thought.
Deep into injury time Rosicky was robbed as he burst into the area from the left. Fabregas curled the corner to the far post, Cech missed the ball with a flailing fist and Gallas emerged to nod home.
It was a hammer blow to Chelsea after a competitive first half and they set about redressing the balance straight after the restart.
The visitors stole the initiative from the first whistle but, you sensed, did not quite know what to do with it. This is where the absence of the injured Didier Drogba was being felt. And, of course, Chelsea’s attacking only invited Arsenal to counter. They did not need a second invitation.
In the 57th minute Wright-Phillips curled a low ball across the face of goal. A couple of minutes later Almunia dived full-stretch to prevent John Obi-Mikel’s rasping drive finding the far corner.
Eboue was stretchered off after being felled in mid-flight by Joe Cole. Van Persie came in and immediately caused problems for the Chelsea defence.
To this point, the visitors had struggled to create a close-range chance. They put that right with 15 minutes left, Claudio Pizarro floated in a cross from the left, Shevchenko flicked on and an unmarked Wright-Phillips volleyed woefully wide from six yards out. A glaring miss.
It was the England midfielder’s last touch of the game. Avram Grant brought on another striker, Salomon Kalou, straight away.
The Cameroonian hammered a shot just wide with his first meaningful touch. However that effort came after Arsenal had carved out their best opportunity of the half. Rosicky robbed Joe Cole then Adebayor and Hleb combined in a sweeping move that saw Van Persie hoist his shot over the bar.
The Dutchman thought he had had slid home the killer goal with six minutes left but Adebayor’s pass to Rosicky in the build-up had been ruled offside. In the 88th minute Cech made a wonderful double save from Fabregas as Arsenal pushed forward.
Almost immediately Adebayor strode through and planted a shot home, only for referee Alan Wiley to rule he had held off his marker with a bit too much brute force.
But Chelsea still pressed and Arsenal had to thank Almunia at the death for tipping a fizzing Shevchenko free-kick just over the bar. The last kick of the game saw Fabregas fluff a relatively simple chance after being set-up by substitute Nicklas Bendtner.
The final whistle came a few seconds later. The roar with which was greeted was 50 per cent elation, 50 per cent relief.
It had been that sort of game.
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