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[Steroyd]

Are England fans looking at Estonia as a must-win?

McClaren is looking at this as a must win... for his Job, Estonia have lost all 5 conceding 24 goals and scoring non, Hell Hath no mercy for him if we don't win. :lol

 

[Ryck]

Well it's a bit embarrassing, but as you can see from the blue and white red bull can, I support Bristol Rovers.

:lol

 

[Cornballer]

McClaren is looking at this as a must win... for his Job, Estonia have lost all 5 conceding 24 goals and scoring non, Hell Hath no mercy for him if we don't win. :lol

I didn't know they were that bad. :lol I get the Baltic states mixed up...

 

[hadareud]

Switching gears here... Euro2008 roundup with a look at what's going on the next week. I think pretty much all of the groups are still very competitive - no one has run away with it quite yet. Are England fans looking at Estonia as a must-win?

I think they definitely have to look at it as a must win.

If England don't come away with three points it's looking very bleak for them.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I apologise, I know it was over the top.

I was frustrated and felt my last resort was to insult Blackburn Wanderers

What are you on about? I support Bristol Rovers. The Red Bull can wouldn't make much sense otherwise, would it? It's blue and white quarters, just like my beloved pirates, not halved like that other team has.

I swear on my mother's life that I support the Rovers.

 

[Cornballer]

The last thing I want to hear is more about the Blackbolt Wandrovers. Spare me.

Mama is about to pass 2000 posts on this thread. I said wow.

 

[Mama Smurf]

You guys are just jealous. I can't help it if we won the play offs and Arsenal won nothing ok! I don't control the teams, that's Wenger's mistake.

 

[hadareud]

yeah, just talk yourself out of it

 

[h0pper]

lol. Nice. This is what I like to see.

 

[Mama Smurf]

haha, shut it

If England lose to Estonia, McClaren will be fired and deservedly so, but it won't be over for England. It should still be in our hands.

Even if Russia beat Croatia away tomorrow (which wouldn't help at all) and England lose, it's still in our own hands.

Croatia would probably be out of reach (if they aren't already), so it'd be between Israel, Russia and England. Now under this scenario we'd be 3 points behind Israel (based on games in hand) and 6 points behind Russia. Luckily, we have a game left against Israel and two games left against Russia. So it'd be in our own hands, win those 3 and the rest of our games and we'll make it.

Of course, I have no desire for it to come to that. Hopefully we'll beat Estonia and Russia will lose to Croatia, Israel will obviously beat Andorra and the top of the table will look like this (giving 1-0 victories, as that's the minimum):

1 Croatia ---7---13--19
2 Israel-----8---9----17
3 Russia----7---9----14
4 England---7---8----14

The goal difference won't matter in the scenario I described above btw, it's head to head first and foremost. The only reason it matters in this table is because Russia and England haven't played.

The the remaining fixtures will be:

England

H Israel
H Russia
H Estonia
A Russia
H Croatia

Russia

H Macedonia
A England
H England
A Israel
A Andorra

Israel

A England
A Croatia
H Russia
H Macedonia

It's been a bad start, but the number of home fixtures really gives us an edge.

 

[Cornballer]

I was going to say it's tough to play Croatia on the last matchday...but if they keep on picking up results, they might be qualified by then.

 

[hadareud]

 

[Cornballer]

Arsenal finally signed Ribery?

 

[hadareud]

looks very much like it

 

[Mama Smurf]

Anyone else watching the England U21 match against Slovakia? It's half time, 1-0, just a penalty but it should be 4, maybe even 5-0 based on the chances. Not to mention there was another stonewall penalty not given.

Pretty good match, Nugent looks good again. Wish he'd come to Blackburn but he'll probably be off to Everton.

 

[Wes]

Would've been better if Agbonlahor was playing

 

[Cornballer]

A bunch of friendlies today, as well.

Japan 0 - 0 Colombia (FT)
Argentina 1 - 2 Algeria (HT)
Brazil 0 - 0 Turkey (2nd half)
Kuwait - Portugal (later today)
Mexico - Paraguay (later today)

 

[hadareud]

Are you watching on Sky or is it on Sopcast Mama?

guess who scored for Argentina btw

 

[Steroyd]

Are you watching on Sky or is it on Sopcast Mama?

guess who scored for Argentina btw

Mascherano :lol

Spoiler

Tevez

 

[Mama Smurf]

sopcast, star sports.

I missed the second goal, anyone see it? I was...ermm...well I was too busy making up more animal facts to tell a friend. Only this one's a zoology student and I'm trying to mess up her exams.

I'm a good friend, right?

 

[Mama Smurf]

3-0, fantastic skill out wide from Routledge, I've never understood why he can't get in a Premiership team consistently.

That was the 22nd attempt from England, I think I'm just going to support the U21s from now on.

 

[Cornballer]

4-3 Argentina in the 2nd half. Tevez, Messi, Cambiasso, Messi.

 

[Mama Smurf]

5-0, I doubt most of these guys have ever played an easier game.

 

[Cornballer]

Walter Smith interview. He seems pretty fair with his assessment of MLS - I'd agree with most of what he says. Most MLS teams have a few good players, but the depth is really an issue. If someone goes down, you're looking at a much less talented replacement.

WALTER SMITH: BECKHAM AND REBUILDING RANGERS FOR COMING SEASON

Whilst the debate surrounding the quality of football that awaits David Beckham in the USA rages on, Walter Smith’s Rangers team have just returned from playing and defeating LA Galaxy in California. Sue McCann caught up with Smith to hear his views on David Beckham's new club and the re-building job he faces at Rangers during the close season.

WHAT IS YOUR HONEST OPINION OF THE STANDARD OF FOOTBALL DAVID BECKHAM WILL FIND AT LA GALAXY?
“There’s no way that they are going to compare with Premiership football. If you look at a standard you would look at down at the Championship level for a lot of the teams that are there, maybe not top Championship. They have good teams but the problem I think is the depth of the pool of players that each of the clubs have is stretched to full. I think the majority of them have four or five really good players at them and other ones to back them up and then they need others to back up that part of it. They are finding the depth of pool for the number of teams that they have very difficult to get but there’s no way that you look upon these teams as not being of a decent standard. The LA Galaxy for instance has got players who could certainly come over and play well for Premiership teams. You can’t say that the competition (in the MLS) is of a fantastic level, I don’t think anyone would say that, but it’s far better than what people imagine it is.”

NOW THAT BECKHAM HAS RETURNED TO THE ENGLAND SQUAD, DO YOU THINK THE STANDARD OF FOOTBALL HE’LL BE PLAYING AT LA GALAXY WILL KEEP HIM SHARP ENOUGH TO COMPETE AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL?
“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. I think the one thing that there’ll be at LA Galaxy is that they have a great level of fitness and the American lads who play will never be short of that; they all had decent pace and were all very fit. It’s like every other league; regardless of the level of play that you come in at you won’t get an easy ride when you come into it. David Beckham will certainly be the most high profile player in the league and will obviously be a target for other players as they try and stop him. So it won’t be easy and it would not be easy for anyone to go over and play there.”

 

[Mama Smurf]

On rating their looks:

Charley: "I think I should go number 2 because he fancies you"

....yeah....hmmm....yeah...well....

EDIT: And ermm...Blackburn are...oh **** it

 

[Lakitu]

On rating their looks:

Charley: "I think I should go number 2 because he fancies you"

....yeah....hmmm....yeah...well....

EDIT: And ermm...Blackburn are...oh **** it

 

[Mama Smurf]

Oh...no...some...some retard...the chimp I keep...I was signed in and my account was...it wasn't me.

 

[Cornballer]

On rating their looks:

Charley: "I think I should go number 2 because he fancies you"

....yeah....hmmm....yeah...well....

EDIT: And ermm...Blackburn are...oh **** it

I don't understand. Is that for the best?

 

[Mama Smurf]

You don't understand? :lol I thought you were an Arsenal fan.

 

[Lakitu]

You don't understand? :lol I thought you were an Arsenal fan.

Well come on.... Shinobi, Hadareud, Cornballer, don't you see a pattern there?

 

[hadareud]

Well come on.... Shinobi, Hadareud, Cornballer, don't you see a pattern there?

edit: big broooda, eh?

 

[Cornballer]

 

[hadareud]

there's too much abuse today.

I would understand if it was coming from people whose team won the league since colour television was invented, but this is just strange.

 

[Lakitu]

I would understand if it was coming from people whose team won the league since colour television was invented, but this is just strange.

 

[hadareud]

it urges me to post my new favourite gif. Now look what you've done, I hope you're proud of yourself

 

[Mama Smurf]

Sadly, Bristol Rovers have never won the league

 

[hadareud]

i sort of like them too, you know ...

... what I mean. nudge nudge

 

[Lakitu]

i sort of like them too, you know ...

... what I mean. nudge nudge

I didn't know Bristol Rovers produced skin-tight shirts like that.

 

[hadareud]

i just found our myself actually

 

[hadareud]

another thing I didn't know:
Experts Used Wipes to Clean Emirates of Polonium

I may have been sitting in that polonium seat

 

[Cornballer]

I like our new home kit:

 

[hadareud]

:lol

 

[h0pper]

I like our new home kit:

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

nice Cornballer. I actually did laugh out loud to that one.

 

[Ronok]

Wait, I'm missing something here...... The Emirates was contaminated? lol

 

[Mama Smurf]

Now the rumour is Crouch will start, and it may be Brown instead of Dyer. Either would be better than Carragher for this game, I would think.

Liverpool fans rejoice:

Asked whether Liverpool fans were to blame for the trouble at some of the entry gates at the Olympic Stadium before the final against AC Milan, Platini said: “No, we cannot say that. We cannot point the finger. And, no, they are not the worst behaved in Europe. The issue is not that they are English or Spanish, one club or another. It is simply about fans who travel without tickets. This is an old story. It is just that more English fans follow their clubs than those from other countries. It is not as if one set of fans are good or one set bad.”

Now let's see what happens with Gaillard. Platini has basically just distanced himsefl from those comments, so will Gaillard go?

I'm almost shocked that UEFA backed down. Not that they would have had to if they'd just accepted some blame in the first place.

Then again, they didn't actually accept blame reading it more carefully, they'll probably just shift it to Athens. Much less powerful than England, Liverpool and the Premiership, let's lay the blame on them.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Other interesting stuff I read:

- The Independent reckons West Ham are going to bid £20m for Andy Johnson, as they know they'll only get him with an offer Everton can't refuse.

Zombie Dave - rrrrrz thrrrr blrrrrrrrdrr crrrzzrrr

- The Sun say Alan Smith will not get a new contract, triggering transfer rumours

Zombie Dave - nrrr rrrrrn rrrrrl trrrg hrrrm

- The Mail reckons Benayoun has turned down a £50k a week contract offer with West Ham

Zombie Dave - lrrrg rrrr frrrrgn crrr

My name's The Man's Daddy and i'm the world's greatest comedian!

Q. What do you get if you combine horses with a plate?

A. horsesplate

Q. Why doesn't Clark tell Lois his secret?

A. Because he's a dickhead

 

[MrPing1000]

Need some The man's daddy jokes.

 

[Shinobi]

It's been a bad start, but the number of home fixtures really gives us an edge.

That's what Arsenal thought. :lol With Wembley being basically new digs, I sure hope it doesn't take England as much time to get used to them as the Gunners.

Wait, I'm missing something here...... The Emirates was contaminated? lol

Yeah. Remember that Russian guy who got poisoned last year? He attended a game at the Emirates. I don't think he was poisoned there, but he had enough of that shit on him that he left traces of it there.

Asked whether Liverpool fans were to blame for the trouble at some of the entry gates at the Olympic Stadium before the final against AC Milan, Platini said: “No, we cannot say that. We cannot point the finger. And, no, they are not the worst behaved in Europe. The issue is not that they are English or Spanish, one club or another. It is simply about fans who travel without tickets. This is an old story. It is just that more English fans follow their clubs than those from other countries. It is not as if one set of fans are good or one set bad.”

Well I'll be ****ed...a member of UEFA using logic and reason, instead of a mass condemnation based on flimsy evidence? I'm amazed. Now if UEFA could take even a little responsibility when a **** up like this occurs, I might actually grow to simply disliking them!

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well I'll be ****ed...a member of UEFA using logic and reason, instead of a mass condemnation based on flimsy evidence? I'm amazed. Now if UEFA could take even a little responsibility when a **** up like this occurs, I might actually grow to simply disliking them!

Insincere h0pper: Authority is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shinobi]

:lol

Man, the embarassment that will be felt if England fails to win this game will be off the charts. But I think they'll come good. I hope Owen is able to pot a couple...that would be massive for both himself and England's qualifying fortunes. I'll be wearing his jersey tomorrow in support.