Flip your calendar back about 365 days. Andre Villas-Boas's Chelsea were beginning to
look ready to poise a genuine threat to the two Manchester clubs for the title, lying in second
place. However, this was the highest position Villa-Boas would experience as sergeant of the
Stamford Bridge army.
For the neutrals it must have been a good game, for us it was another "typical" Chelsea display in
a game that on paper, Chelsea should have won easily.
Now I mean no disrespect to Reading and their fans at all when I say that, but let's put things
into perspective here. A newly promoted side come to Stamford Bridge on a Wednesday night, on
Chelsea's first appearance at the Bridge since winning the Champions League and with plenty of
attacking talent on the pitch, surely it's a home banker isn't it?
A number of top players have endured fairly miserable seasons, but there is one man who has failed
to enjoy a moment of personal glory for what seems like aeons (his moment of brilliance in
Barcelona aside), and that man is Chelsea's outspoken striker Fernando Torres.
This week, following the Blues' Champions League final win, the frontman opened up when questioned
about his future, describing the lengths he is prepared to go to in order to bring back enjoyment
to his game after two years of misfiring and playing second fiddle to other players.
1. At one point it appeared that this bloke had gone to get a topical t-shirt printed mid-match. 2.
Being played off the park at the Emirates must hurt Arsene Wenger far more than being kicked off
the park at the Britannia. 3. During commentary, Sky Sports' Martin Tyler said that Wenger was the
worst [.
Oh Swansea, my Swansea. Well, they're not my team, though they have been adopted as the favored
squad of most Premier League neutrals. Silky smooth, yet flamboyantly frustrating, the Swans pass
the ball around the park, only for it to ...
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Zambia's fairy tale run in the African Cup of Nations ended with them sensationally beating hot
favourites Ivory Coast 8-7 on post match penalties to win their maiden AFCON trophy.
In a match attended by football legends Pele, Michel Platini amongst other and beamed to
millions across the continent and the world, there was doubt that the Chipolopolo were the better
side on the night.
When Manchester City dispatched Manchester United in commanding fashion earlier this season, the
City steamroller was powerful, efficient, and impressive. It looked downright unstoppable. As Kevin
McCarra noted the day of City's 6-1 trouncing of United in The Guardian, "For the football
world at large, it is more significant still that City have 33 goals from nine league games.
Lets put this in the friendliest of terms, there is no amistoso when it comes to these
two countries, on the pitch. At the MetLife Stadium, 80,000 + fans many of them who had lubed up
with plenty of beer and bbq in the hundreds of tailgating parties dotting the parking lots were
treated to a brilliant exposition of attacking football.
The brain acts in parallel to improve speed of planning and execution, so does Barcelona
Today, four time Champions League winners and present holder, Barca play AC Milan, one of the
most stories clubs themselves in international competition with seven CL titles.
A mouthwatering feast that will pit Zlatan Ibrahimovic against his former club and Thiago, who
might be wearing the colours of the Blaugrana next season.
2012 UEFA Champions League Final: Bayern, Chelsea Both Considering Makeshift Lineups - SBNation.com
If you're able to watch the Champions League on Fox today here's a place to chat amongst the
neutrals of SaH. Of course www.WeAintGotNoHistory is the place for Chelsea fans and
www.BavarianFootballWorks.
It's nearly time. The goosebumps, yeah they've arrived.
Take it.
You may be wondering what's with today's photo selection? I know, I'm usually pulling out
film-based artifacts (screencaps and the like) but today is an entirely different animal. This is
the UEFA Champions League final for Christ's sake.
A day after drawing French side Olympique Marseille in the quarter finals of the Champions
League, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are sending out a very clear message to their opponents
after thrashing Hertha Berlin 6-0 away to take their tally of goals in their last three games to a
staggering 20 goals.
A day after drawing French side Olympique Marseille in the quarter finals of the Champions
League, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are sending out a very clear message to their opponents
after thrashing Hertha Berlin 6-0 away to take their tally of goals in their last three games to a
staggering 20 goals.
Arsene Wenger may want to go out and buy a lottery ticket as soon as possible as luck's clearly on
his side right now. Arsenal's fate is once again back in their own hands after Newcastle dropped a
2-0 decision at home to Manchester City on Sunday while Spurs were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston
Villa.
There is a long way to go in the Premier League title race, but the battle between Manchester and
north London this weekend could prove pivotal.
Top plays third and fifth plays second as competition at the top hots up. Manchester City put their
100 per cent home record on the line when they take on Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, while
cross-city rivals Manchester United travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal just hours
later.
Morning everyone! Woken up this morning and still can't quite believe it, we beat Barcelona with
ten men and are in the Champions League final!. I posted my reaction to the game a couple of hours
after the final whistle and if you haven't seen it, make sure you click here to check it
out.
Morning everyone! Woken up this morning and still can't quite believe it, we beat Barcelona with
ten men and are in the Champions League final!. I posted my reaction to the game a couple of hours
after the final whistle and if you haven't seen it, make sure you click here to check it out.
For now and this post, I want to focus on the reaction after the game.
Chelsea v. Barcelona Preview: Can the Blues turn back time to stop Messi and co? - originally
posted on Soccerlens.com
For Chelsea, the last four of the Champions League has become very familiar territory. In the
Roman Abramovich era, the Blues have now reached the Champions League semifinals six times in nine
seasons.
With Liverpool and Everton meeting at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final tomorrow, OTP looks at some
of the greatest moments of previous Cup meetings between the Merseyside rivals. 1. The advert goal
(2010) The infamous extra-time winner from Dan Gosling was scored during a mistimed ITV advert
break. Despite the controversy, the most shocking [.
I almost fell off my stool at the pub Sunday. No, not what you think (this time), but I was all
cocky, telling everyone who'd listen (no one did) that interviews after games are too predictable.
Ducky's Note: 'Neutral' Arsenal fan Swaroop is back after a long hiatus (and with some spare
time from his proper-journalism course at Newcastle) to look at whether a handshake is such a big
deal and while we condemn the racism, we shouldn't stoke the fire by blowing up every little act
remotely related to it.
Manchester United – Liverpool FC; the very thought of it strikes every chord of passion
amongst either set of fans. This particular derby has often failed to exhibit the mesmerising
displays of copacetic football expected by the neutrals across the globe. The contest which is
often decided by individual bravura is widely described as ‘pixelated' around the world.
Manchester United – Liverpool FC; the very thought of it strikes every chord of passion
amongst either set of fans. This particular derby has often failed to exhibit the mesmerising
displays of copacetic football expected by the neutrals across the globe. The contest which is
often decided by individual bravura is widely described as ‘pixelated' around the world.
Goals:
De Jong 31'
Gerrard 40' (pen)
Dzeko 67'
Bellamy 74'
*Shakes head* Football, man. Football.
So much for Liverpool holding what they had. This was no lock-down defensive effort. Liverpool
played defense by attacking, and would have settled the tie far sooner if not for Joe Hart's
continuing brilliance.
I really have no particular affinity for or hangups with any of the European Championship teams.
This is a little odd for me because in club soccer I'm known to arbitrarily pick a side and then
live or die with them as if I was born on their home stadium's hallowed grass. But international?
I'm a USMNT fan, of course.
Having waited 118 years for a second all-Edinburgh Final, the Scottish Cup final ended up being
a disappointment for neutrals, and especially Hibernian fans, as Heart of Midlothian ran out
comfortable 5-1 winners, for their eight victory in the competition, their third Cup win in
fourteen years. It was a game overshadowed by controversy, especially concerning the decision at
the start of the second half, which saw Hearts awarded a penalty and Hibernian reduced to ten
men.
El Clasico is regarded round the world as the biggest rivalry in football and is also renowned as
the most exciting fixture shown before our very eyes.
Now I completely agree about the rivalry. It probably just shades the Glasgow derby. Just.
But the most exciting? I disagree with that notion almost as much as that 11th pint I had last
night disagreeing with my head this morning.
Murder in Port Said The day a revolution turned cold is a post from: Just Football
Just days after the one year anniversary of the revolution, Egyptian football was plunged
into despair by the tragic events in Port Said. Adam Mostafa reports on events that shook the game.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of Just Football.
This article was sent in by reader/writer/ Fire fan Daniel Casey. Feel free to follow
Daniel's example; send in any articles you like! We love to hear what you have to say, and could
always use the help.
The pre-season for any sport is an exciting time, full of anxiety and hope.
Being forced to sell his captain during the January and consequently losing matches heavily did for
Simon Grayson. While OTP feels slightly sorry for the recently sacked Grayson, we won't be dwelling
on his departure for too long because there are some exciting prospects in contention to be the new
boss at Elland [.
Sometimes it is so, so nice to be so, so wrong. Spain's 4-3 win over Yugoslavia in Euro 2000 was
memorably described at the time has "having everything except full-frontal nudity." Given
Equatorial Guinea's celebration of their astounding 2-1 win over Senegal in the ACN last night, I
expect we had that as well.
