Arsenal v. Villareal Match Preview

Not the injury keeping Marcos Senna out of the match.

There really isn't any chance today's tilt at Emirates can muster the magnificence of yesterday's all English tilt since there is no potential comeback for the ages at stake, but we could certainly see plenty of goals. Although, writing this will likely guarantee a dull 0-0 draw that sees Arsenal through to the semis on the back of their 1-1 away draw seven nights ago.

The storyline for this match is not about the players on the pitch, rather the players not on the pitch. Arsenal's lockerroom looks more like a MASH unit than the dressing room of an elite football club. Arsenal's already suspect defense will be missing its first-choice keeper Manuel Almunia, first-choice centerback William Gallas, first-choice fullback Gael Clichy, and defender Johan Djourou. Robin Van Porcelain is still struggling with a groin injury that may force him to a substitute role. Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor are just back from injury and are still likely not 100% fit.

Villareal's Yellow Submarine is not suffering from the same plague of injuries but will be missing midfielders Marcos Senna and Santi Cazorla. The former being a huge loss as the Brazilian cum Spanish defensive midfield dynamo was the goal scorer on the first leg. Senna is the rock in the middle with appreciable offensive skills and his loss will certainly be felt.

So, it's a leaky back line for Arsenal and soft middle for Villareal. It's like a battle between a chick with diarrhea and chick with a chubby belly. Which one would you rather have sex with?

Prediction. 2-2. Villareal through on away goal rule. If accurate, this would be the first time an English team has been eliminated from CL play by a non-English team in two years.

Read more on "Arsenal v. Villareal Match Preview"...

Remembering Hillsborough.

Many American friends have asked me about Hillsborough over the years. What happened, why it happened. How could such a tragedy be allowed to happen? Well today is the 20th anniversary of a day that changed football in England forever. 96 people died in pens like cattle with one common, shared tie. They supported Liverpool FC and were there to watch the semi-final of the FA Cup.

Hillsborough is the name of Sheffield Wednesday's historic football ground but after April 15th 1989, it became associated with a terrible event that ruined lives and brought the football world to a standstill.

Liverpool played Forest for a place in the final. Back then many football grounds had fences up, stopping supporters from reaching the pitch. A huge over-reaction to combat a few pitch invasions that had taken place. Hillsborough was no different. The result of such fencing basically creates a contained pen were supporters watched as if they were livestock, herded in and out.

Basically the Leppings Lane away section at Hillsborough held 2,000 people and 3,000 wanted to come in. Many of those extra people had fake tickets. The Police failed in their operation to control the fans and opened a gate allowing a surge of people to come in, head down a small tunnel to pens behind the goal. They just kept coming. By the time kick-off came, people were fighting for breath and crushed against each other with no escape.

Five minutes after kick-off a policeman ran onto the pitch and the game was stopped. What happened next will never leave the memories of anyone who watched TV for the rest of the day, let alone those at the game. A barrier between pens collapsed and the area behind the goal became a pile of people. Climbing over each other in attempts to escape. The people who had arrived early were crushed at the front. People lay dead on the pitch. Others were pulled to safety by supporters in the upper tier. The fear on the faces of those against the fences was haunting.

96 people, many of whom were children, lost their lives. The advertising hoardings became stretchers and the pitch the emergency room. The rescue effort was hampered by bad co-ordination and fire fighters/ambulance crews being unable to get access to the inside of the ground.

We'd been looking forward to a great game of football and now we were gasping for breath and grasping for survival. As we know, dozens of us were unsuccessful. One of those people may have been a man who, I'm guessing, was in his 60s. I spent half an hour pushed up against him with he in turn wedged against a crush bar. I never saw his face. I had my back to him throughout. But I'm haunted by his voice. He was pleading with me to give him space to allow him to breathe. He was screaming in agony telling me he was suffering a heart attack. - Survivor Mark Edwardson

A detailed summary of events can be found here and the stories of those there that day here.

An inquiry failed to really blame anyone for the disaster but it was clear that a lack of policing intelligence caused the crush when gate c was opened to relieve the congestion building outside of the ground. The inquiry found that the area behind the goal was only safe for 1600 people and not the 2200 who had tickets nor the 3000 trying to get in. Afterward, many stories of previous semi-finals there emerged along with complaints about crushing and over crowding to the FA.

Back in those days the semi-finals were both played at the same time. While the events of Hillsborough were unfolding, Norwich were at Villa Park playing Everton. But for one draw of the ball from the hat, I could so easily be talking about members of my family today.

Soon after the tragedy, all fences were removed and stadiums required to be all-seater. Little consolation for the surviving who had to deal with the loss of friends and the stress that came afterward. Many needed counseling and could not sleep or work with the sounds and images of the day that would be with them for ever.

For many, twenty years ago today at 10am Eastern time marks the day that football died. A day out to see their team became a living nightmare that ruined the lives of so many. The game we love so much and the focus of this website became painful memories and heartache to hundreds of family members who lost sons and daughters to a tragic event that should have been prevented.

As you go about your business today, and prepare to watch this afternoons Champions League matches, just spare a thought for the survivors and family members, who for many no longer have football to enjoy. Today they will all be remembered.

-Bigus

LB remembers it too, like it was yesterday. His thoughts to follow later today.

Read more on "Remembering Hillsborough."...

Tuesday Backpasses: Anyone Seen ü75?

Well, you get me tonight because it seems that ü75's computer isn't working! And when you're done looking for ü75, did anyone see any goals today? Phew!

Man U might be facing steep problems down the road [Daily Mail]
Player loses shorts on pitch, and other guy checks him out (NSFW) [Off the Post]
Hull's decline [Avoiding the Drop]

Scorpion kick, used for good [The Beautiful Game]
Deleted scene from last week's The Office [The Offside Rules]
The wankers in black are alright sometimes: Bulgarian linesman saves player's life as he swallowed his tongue during game [Guardian]
Fredy Montero will not be charged by the Seattle Police [Sounders Insider]

And finally, some Scottish news for ü75, wherever he may be!!...

Eoin Jess, 38-year-old former Aberdeen player (cohort of Dean Windass), had a stroke [Scotsman]
George Burley is backing away from being the bad guy in banning Rangers pair [Guardian]
Football banning orders routinely are evaded [Scotsman]

Read more on "Tuesday Backpasses: Anyone Seen ü75?"...

CL Open Thread

No Gerrard.

That's the biggest news of the day, if there is such a thing as most of the drama remaining is in tomorrow's two tilts. But we're theorizing this means Rafa is kind of tossing in the towel on the CL and saving Stevie for a run at the Prem. Makes Essien's day easier.

The line-ups:

Liverpool: XI: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carra, Kuyt, Lucas, Alonso, Mascherano, Benayoun, Torres
Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Hyypia, Agger, Riera, Babel, Ngog.

Chelsea: XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Malouda, Drogba.
Subs: To be announced.

Really, the site I pulled the Chelsea line-ups from does indeed have it TBA.

As for the other match, does it really matter? If Bayern Munich comes back to win that tie, I will eat a shoe.

Chime in as history (Istanbul) probably doesn't repeat itself.

Read more on "CL Open Thread"...

I Wanna Be Like... Mike Jankel.

Getting old sucks. Getting old brings aches and pains, unpleasant ailments... Your kids sod off to other countries to marry American chicks, have kids and write soccer blogs...Daaaaad. Get off the computer..NOW!

Who wants to get old? Not me. Unless I can be like Jankel Schor. A Russian immigrant living in Brazil. And when in Rome, er Brazil, do as the natives. Jankel is a keepy uppy king, oh yeah, he is also EIGHTY TWO!

After the jump a cool Sky News video of Jankel doing his thing.



Jankel entertains crowds at the Maracana stadium in Rio. Well, I'll shut up now. Watch the video.



Now that's pretty cool eh? I hope I'm still enjoying a kick about at his age. By the way Bigus has a keepy uppy total of 43. UF collectively has no more than 200. The Fans Attic has game and Spectator, nowt but shame.

Jankel>>UF. Maybe he should write a blog.

-Bigus.

Source World Cup Blog Top stuff!

Read more on "I Wanna Be Like... Mike Jankel."...

Champions League Preview: Revenge Mission.

Cue the music and the cheesy PlayStation graphics, and those ugly birds singing about Champions to promote crap beer. It's second-leg time in the quarters and boy oh boy, do Liverpool have a mountain to climb this afternoon.

Last week's 3-1 defeat at home to Guus Hiddink's rejuvenated Chelsea side was a bit of a surprise. A smash and grab. Liverpool have had a week to think about what exactly happened to them and they will have to go all out from the start this afternoon if they are to stand any chance of overturning the first-leg Saaaath Laaaaannnndan beat-down.

Team news after the jump.

Steven Gerrard was absent at the weekend with a groin strain but honorary Scouser and Merseyside overlord Rafa Benitez will risk his captain's fitness for such a big game. Liverpool will also have Javier Mascherano back from suspension.

********UPDATE**************

1838: Steven Gerrard has been spotted sitting in the directors' box at Stamford Bridge, wearing his civvies. The Liverpool skipper has been struggling with a groin injury but Rafa Benitez had been expected to risk him in this game.

*****************************

The Merseysiders certainly have goals in them at the moment: they walloped Blackburn at a canter last weekend and have scored an impressive 21 goals in their last 7 games.

The task in hand is HUUUUUUUGE but if any team knows how to mount a comeback, its Liverpool. Throwing caution to the wind will heap pressure on the Liverpool backline and they will need to defend like never before to stand a chance.

Chelsea will be without EBJT (England's Blubbering John Terry) due to suspension and will be missing injured, over-rated wing back Jose Bosingwa. Ricardo Carvalho should fill in for Terry. Chelsea (like Liverpool) have been free-scoring themselves recently. However, they did get a little scare at the weekend when they took their foot off the gas at 4-0 up at home to Bolton. The trotters scored 3 in short succession and nearly nicked a point. Bolton may have shown Liverpool the way to rattle Chelsea but I expect they will be careful and more respectful of today's visitors.

With the title out of reach I expect Chelsea to be focused on making the Champions League final for a second consecutive season. Not doing so will surely piss off Roman Abramovich and bring Russia's fantasy football guru to the brink of meltdown, and that's why I will be hoping Liverpool can do what seems to be the un-doable. That, and of course any Liverpool comeback will likely mean one hell of a decent game of football for all of us neutrals to enjoy.

The open thread will be up at 2.30 so stay with us for this one. It could be a cracker!

-Bigus.

Read more on "Champions League Preview: Revenge Mission."...

Man United get FIVE PFA Nominations. Rest of EPL is dumbfounded.

If you like your players fresh, occasionally used, and oft-substituted, then Giggsy's your man"

If you're a United fan, you should feel good about winning yet another bit of silverware this year: the incomparably useless PFA Player of the Year award. Their odds, stacked much like the NBA Lottery, are good, as five of the six players nominated are from Old Trafford, the sixth being that wonderful Scouse lad, Steven Gerrard (sorry, Lamps).

(Oh, and two of the four nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year are United lads too: the injured Rafael Da Silva who's played six full games this year, and the injured Jonny Evans. Rounding out the noms are Gagbonlahor, Aaron Lennon, and Stephen Ireland.)

I get that they've had a good year (though not since the nomination deadline in early March, heh), but really? How many of the five actually deserve a shout?

Let's look at those United players nominated:

Ryan Giggs: The aging Welsh wizard has started and finished just FIFTEEN games this season. While his goal away at Upton Park was valuable to the cause, can we really justify giving him a shout for PFA Player of the Year? I thought actually playing counted for something.

Nemanja Vidic: Fair nod. He's had a bruising season at the back, regularly tucking strikers away in his back pocket, except for those two league games against Liverpool.

Edwin Van Der Sar: Much has been written of this dour Dutchman. I get that he's responsible for the clean sheet run of January and February, but he made an average of 3 saves per game during that run, and has shown himself to be positively inept over the last 6 weeks or so. If I were picking a goalie to start an important game and I could pick from any in the league, I wouldn't be picking him.

Rio Ferdinand: Now we're getting silly. While he's had a great season, I am baffled at the nominations for both center-backs and goalkeeper.

Cristiano Ronaldo: A massive drop-off from last season, especially by his lofty standards. The moaning and complaining have increased, and his influence has been questionable for long stretches of the year. For any other player, his season has been excellent, but for a guy coming off the unstoppable run of 2007/08, surely there's someone else more deserving?

If anything, it just goes to show you can't get too riled up about this stuff because like all voting/nominations processes (*cough* UF Power Polls *cough*), they're open to subjectivity and just about every inexact science in existence, as well they should be.

And so, you wonder which of 'em will win it. The bias in me would pick Gerrard over any of them: he's having the best season of his career, has spearheaded some memorable victories (including 4 wins and a draw against the Big 4, when LFC hadn't beaten any of them in the league since Rafa Benitez showed up) and scored some wonderful goals.

You have to fancy that Rio/Vidic cancel each other out, because selecting the more deserving center-back in that pairing (arguably, a pairing that succeeds due to their unity and communication, making it nigh-on impossible to pick the better of the two) would be like trying to pick between Led Zeppelin III and Led Zeppelin IV, or trying to choose your favourite child. They have their merits, and yet they're so inextricably connected that it's impossible to tear them apart.

Van der Sar? On merit, probably the 3rd or 4th best keeper in the league, behind Schwarzer or Cech. Ronaldo? Meh. Been there, done that. As for Giggs? If he'd played more, maybe. As Paul Doyle notes in his blog, by far the best United player this season has been completely ignored, lending further weight to the fact that the big-name, big-play guys get all the recognition. No-one thought to throw in a vote for Michael Carrick? Seriously?

And so, I return to my state of feigned outrage at the nominations, because at least one Liverpool lad broke up the monotony. If I were Mark Schwarzer, Brede Hangeland, or Frank Lampard, I'd probably be a lot more pissed off.

Read more on "Man United get FIVE PFA Nominations. Rest of EPL is dumbfounded."...

Wayne Rooney loves United (just not for his son)

Rooney's childhood room, decked out in Everton gear. No word on whether his mum grounded him for not tidying it up before he went to training

England's young, fiery troglodyte has been doing some interior design at his swanky Cheshire pad, in anticipation of his first child (the one that's currently punching corner flags deep in Coleen's placenta). Apparently, if the baby is a boy, he'll whip out the blue paint and prep a neat shrine to Everton.

But he still loves United, just to be sure.

Says the ubiquitous "club insider":

"Wayne has been walking on cloud nine ever since the news — he and Coleen can’t wait. The lads are all made up for him but Wazza insists the baby will follow Everton, no matter what. Wayne had to make do with posters of his hero Duncan Ferguson on the walls of his old home. He wants the little one to have the ultimate boy’s bedroom. Coleen will definitely be having the last say though. If it’s a girl she will insist on a fairytale castle for her Little Princess."

An Everton shrine, or a fairytale castle? If I were that boy, I think I'd choose the castle.

Still, it's one of those fluttering, space-filling stories in a week surprisingly damp for intrigue, despite all the CL 2nd legs taking place today and tomorrow.

One thing is for sure: they'll spend more money on the room than they do on dinner out.

Read more on "Wayne Rooney loves United (just not for his son)"...

Monday Backpasses: How poor are they?

We're awaiting a C&D any day now. Net Result goes after Twitterers [EPL Talk]
Robbie Keane rushed into buying a new house on his return to Tottenham. Oops [ONTD]
Red Star Belgrade players are so poor. . . [The Beautiful Game]
A look at UEFA's Elite Stadia [BSM] and [The Offside]

WAG-to-be bans WAGs from her wedding [Wales Online]
Watch out for flying beers [Off The Post]
Amr Zaki has returned and he is ready to party [Mirror]
Post-match interview with Deuce. Sadly claims to be retired from rapping [Sky Sports]
Hollywod United come to NYC, given star treatment in NYT [Goal blog]

Finally:
DC-area United fans, you should probably get in on this. A march to keep DCU in DC [Big Soccer]

Read more on "Monday Backpasses: How poor are they?"...

Coach Fucks Peace Efforts

Now come on Bigus. Is there any need for that kind of language in the header?

Actually there is. This story is about Brazilian coach Argel Fucks and his Caxias side's derby game against Juventude. A game preceded by a campaign to promote peace between rival supporters but ended up with three players and both coaches sent off.


Ok. So before this game, rival supporters groups, police and club officials all took part in a 'fraternity breakfast' to promote and endorse a peaceful event. Pity that the coaches and their players had other ideas.

Let's take a look at the video shall we?



It all started when Juventude gaffer Gimar Iser ran onto the pitch in his white shirt and jeans combo to protest that his side didn't receive a penalty? Or was it another decision, he seems to be pointing the other way. Who knows.

Anyway, Isers dismissal was followed immediately by Fucks as he seems to appeal Isers on pitch appeal! Not sure what's going on but Fucks was restrained by riot police and removed from the stadium. No, really!

Argel Fucks himself with a tantrum.

Then a goal for Caxias by Marocs Denner (3:00). Blatantly offside and accompanied by the never tiring sound of some over excited Brazilian commentator screaming GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL (draws breath) GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

Let's move on. Next some fella gets a red (4:19 in) for sliding in on another fella. Looked like he got the ball to me. Nowt wrong with that at all. Oh wait, a replay at 4:28 shows the offender slide through as if he was being blocked from a free taco giveaway. Off you go son.

At 4:47 a Caxias player gets a second yellow for leaving his foot in. Early bath fella. Off you go.

Then a gem (5:18), a long ball is launched over the Juventude defence and Caxia's forward Julio Madureira latches on, allows it to bounce and lobs the keeper with his left peg. What a beauty. Madureira is so shocked at his own effort that his disbelief interrupts his samba dancing routine and drags him to his knees for a head holding session. It was so good they show it 5 more times. Enjoy.

Done? Ok, let's move on.

The last eventful moment of this game appears at 6 mins and 11 seconds in, the Juventude right back decides to use his arm to stop the ball dropping in behind him. Off you go son. That'll be the third red.

Well, I don't speak Portuguese or know any of the players so I suppose the above will just have to do won't it? If anyone can understand WTF is going on and explain the fracas involving our mate Argel Fucks, leave a comment below or email me using the addy up to the right over there at the top.

Argel Fucks. That's just a great football name. Nearly as good as Chiqui Arce , Dusty Fouser, Pedro Power, Wayne Wanklyn and Danger Fourpence.

-Bigus.

Read more on "Coach Fucks Peace Efforts"...