Saturday, April 4, 2009

The Bootroom: The Return of Club Play



Will Sven Goran also mark his return to the Premier League?

Finally, after two weeks of mostly shoddy international matches club play returns to ease my case of footie blueballs. Seriously, leagues were just starting to get interesting and then the break came to halt all momentum. ManU was on a two game slump, down to a 1 point lead (with a game in hand), Liverpool was streaking towards the top having outscored opponents 15-1 in March. The top four teams in the Bundesliga are separated by one point total. La Liga and Serie A are not as close but Real Madrid is still making a push. Then, mid-week we have CL quarterfinals.

That's not to say there weren't great moments during the week. Ballack, three times. Jozy, three times as well. Then, Sven Goran Eriksson gets canned. Now it's merely a question of which Premiership squad wants to take a chance on the Swede.

All of this great, but I'm just glad to resume the battles, select games after the jump, and join us in the bootroom, but no booting allowed.

EPL

Saturday
7:45 ET Blackburn Rovers v Tottenham Hotspur
10:00 ET Bolton Wanderers v Middlesbrough
10:00 ET Arsenal v Manchester City
10:00 ET Hull City v Portsmouth Kingston
10:00 ET Newcastle United v Chelsea
10:00 ET West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City
10:00 ET West Ham United v Sunderland
12:30 ET Fulham v Liverpool

Sunday
10:00 ET Everton v Wigan Athletic
11:00 ET Manchester United v Aston Villa

La Liga

Saturday
14:00 ET Recreativo Huelva v Sevilla FC
14:00 ET Athletic Bilbao v Mallorca
14:00 ET Valladolid v Barcelona
14:00 ET Almeria v Villarreal
14:00 ET Real Betis v Numancia
16:00 ET Málaga v Real Madrid

Sunday
11:00 ET Espanyol v Deportivo La Coruña
11:00 ET Atlético Madrid v Osasuna
13:00 ET Valencia v Getafe
15:00 ET Sporting Gijon v Racing Santander

Bundesliga

Saturday
9:30 ET Hertha Berlin v Borussia Dortmund
9:30 ET Hamburg SV v TSG Hoffenheim
9:30 ET VfL Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich
9:30 ET VfL Bochum v VfB Stuttgart
9:30 ET Eintracht Frankfurt v Energie Cottbus

Sunday
11:00 ET Werder Bremen v Hannover 96
11:00 ET Karlsruhe v Borussia Monchengladbach
11:00 ET FC Cologne v Bayer Leverkusen

Serie A

Sunday
7:00 ET Atalanta v Fiorentina
9:00 ET Reggina v Genoa
9:00 ET AS Roma v Bologna
9:00 ET Cagliari v Catania
9:00 ET Juventus v Chievo Verona
9:00 ET Siena v Lazio
9:00 ET Sampdoria v Napoli
9:00 ET Palermo v Torino
13:00 ET Udinese v Internazionale
15:00 ET AC Milan v Lecce

Championship (I have fired TFA, how dare he not include the Colaship)

Saturday

10.00am ET Barnsley v Nottm Forest
10.00am ET Blackpool v Plymouth
12.20pm ET Bristol City v Preston
10.00am ET Coventry v Reading
10.00am ET Derby v Burnley
10.00am ET Doncaster v Watford
10.00am ET Norwich v Sheff Wed
10.00am ET QPR v Crystal Palace
10.00am ET Sheff Utd v Ipswich
10.00am ET Southampton v Charlton



86 comments:

phil said...

GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL! Get in, Keano!

Even if it was pretty controversial.

jjf, I think that was a really harsh penalty on Givet.

jjf3 said...

Thank you, ref Walton. Can't even figure out when a dead ball isn't on the penalty spot...and you're expected to see fouls when people are active?

phil said...

Jermaine Jenas is pants.

phil said...

Lovely through-ball by Keano wasted by Modders.

phil said...

Warnock is having a lot of problems with Corluka and Lennon over there. Big Sam would do well to slide some help over.

phil said...

God, Jenas cannot keep possession, ever.

jjf3 said...

jesus christ. we start the game with our only reserve striker starting in central defense? of course we do...

is diouf physically incapable of scoring??

jjf3 said...

BENNIIIIIIIIIII

jjf3 said...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jjf3 said...

Holy crap, I did not expect that finish!

Samba: striker extraordinaire?

Walton: shite ref all game long.

3 freakin' points: yes!

machine gooner funk said...

well done rovers. hahahahahaha spuds. with 3 points blackburn only puts more pressure on nufc and shearer in the relegation battle. plus did i mention HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA spuds

Bigus Dickus said...

Blackburn were so bad today before Palacios sending off that they would have likely been unable to have beateen Scunthorpe. Long ball crap. Could not string 2 passes together. Very lucky today.

jjf3 said...

BD: agreed on all counts. Rovers looked like crap all game long, though improved a little once Palacios was sent off. But I'll take 3 points no matter how ugly they come.

Bigus Dickus said...

Newcastle United are certainly up for it today.

Anonymous said...

I love how Ian Dowie is out of the dugout to tell Shearer what needs to be done, like, every 3 minutes.

And Gazza looks like an idiot with that 70's style disco collar.

Anonymous said...

i love watching arsenal when they play like this

Bigus Dickus said...

Gazza loves those collars. retard. Chris Day's Stevenage are 2-1 up at HT at Kidderminster. Norwich 0-0, Scum 2 down at Blades.

Jacob said...

I know no one cares, but--goodbye, Jimmy Calderwood.

Jacob said...

hahaha at Newcastle.

Bigus Dickus said...

Poor Jimmy. See, I care

Anonymous said...

Paging Newcastle United to the Relegation Courtesy Phone... Newcastle United to the Relegation Courtesy Phone...

Jacob said...

Goal for Aberdeen! 1-1.

Malouda, really? You let Malouda score? No new manager bump here.

Jacob said...

No Bigus. Poor Aberdeen.

Jimmy's a better manager than the club deserves. But his teams are given to lapses during the season which are just baffling. AFC fans are apparently tired of Calderwood and want him out.

BackBergtt said...

Via LFC's Twitter

LFCTV: We're hearing Dossena could be on the wing today...

GOOD GOD MAN

Anonymous said...

Even worse, Lucas is starting in place of Masch.

BackBergtt said...

The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Insua, Carragher, Skrtel, Lucas, Alonso, Kuyt, Dossena, Torres, Gerrard.

Sure enough.

Fucking international breaks, when will this country learn, democracy DOESN'T WORK!

Anonymous said...

That'll teach Reira to score for Spain.

*sigh*

Jacob said...

Aberdeen down to 10 men. Second yellow on Considine.

Bigus Dickus said...

Norwich being raped, a goal disallowed. Outrageous.

The Fan's Attic said...

why rest Masch? He can't play midweek anyway.

Jacob said...

1-1 road draw for Aberdeen. Keeps them in fourth. I'm alright with that.

The Fan's Attic said...

oh man, Wolfsburg hammered Bayern 5-1.

Teeknuts said...

@Georger: What are you talking about, International breaks are a perfectly cromulent institution.

BackBergtt said...

I've got a terrible feeling about this game.

Anonymous said...

Liam Neeson? haha

BackBergtt said...

When was the consensus reached that Andy Johnson is the best striker in the world? The FSC announcers seem to know something I do not

BackBergtt said...

Insua has some shifty feet.

Teeknuts said...

A goal has got to come soon, oh god please let Liverpool score soon

BackBergtt said...

Xabi looks like he's been up for three nights straight trying to solve a murder.

BackBergtt said...

I refuse to believe his name is pronounced 'Hungerland'

Jim Hendry said...

Shut up Georger... you're so bloody negative sometimes! The lads are creating chances, despite all the lineup changes.

BackBergtt said...

You realize I was being sarcastic right.

Not about Xabi though, that beard is phenomenal.

BackBergtt said...

Sweet Ray Bans on the guy in the red tshirt in the third row.

BackBergtt said...

What a volley!

Jim Hendry said...

Denied by the bar... AGAIN. Fulham don't look very confident. I feel like it's a matter of time until we score. Look so composed moving forward -- quick, sharp, decisive. Loving it.

Teeknuts said...

ANOTHER post? Jesus, this might be one of those days. I really don't like this. Unrelated, but hey, Little Big League is on! Wow, the Metrodome turf really looks like shit.

Jim Hendry said...

CROSSBAR AGAIN!!!!!!

Jim Hendry said...

Fulham are playing chase the ball.... come on lads. Loving this thus far. None of the timid uncertainty that doomed us during that run of draws. Every move forward has a cutting edge.

BackBergtt said...

Appears my stream is about ninety seconds behind, but at least it's in English. Is it just me or have the announcers gotten the shooter wrong on almost every shot by Liverpool thus far?

Kopper said...

Even though I picked this game 0-0, I see a lone Liverpool penalty proving the difference in the 2nd half.

jjf3 said...

Fulham should retire that crossbar's number...best defender they've ever had.

30f said...

@ Georger -

The announcers got confused whether Dossena (bald and lumpy) or Torres (blond and pretty) was the one thumping the crossbar. To be fair, when everybody is hitting the post ...

Yay, for the half-time whistle.

BackBergtt said...

Lots of nice linking up, shocked at how well Dossena is playing, but I guess I shouldn't be. Though I feel like Aurelio could be coming in for him as the first sub because his cross is a bit better.

Could be a good game for Babel to get in there and exploit some holes.

Anonymous said...

i'm gonna hunt down the guy who bribed the crossbar

Anonymous said...

@ Mike G

Aurelio isn't even on the bench!

BackBergtt said...

God I'm a moron.

30f said...

Why does FSC send Warren Barton home before half-time of this second game? Do they think we are tired of him apologizing for Newcastle and his claims that Shearer will have them in Europe by the end of the season?

Teeknuts said...

Most important 45 minutes of the season right here, although that really goes without saying

Jim Hendry said...

lovely cross by Insua. I love this team. We're making chances... normally in these 0-0s, we struggle to create.

BackBergtt said...

OUCH that could be a shattered ankle.

BackBergtt said...

Time to use that bench Rafa. If Yossi is fit you've gotta get him on.

BackBergtt said...

Yossi for Lucas for the love of GOD Rafa.

Jim Hendry said...

COME ON LADS
So close... COME ON

Jim Hendry said...

here comes Super Jew!

BackBergtt said...

What a microcosm of the season this game is.

Jim Hendry said...

I wouldn't go that far. It's been a good effort and we always knew this would be a colossal test. 2 weeks off and playing at Craven Cottage, a tough tough place to play.

BackBergtt said...

Oh I agree, a solid effort but the last inch just wasn't there.

BackBergtt said...

Three touches in the box and nobody shoots. WHAT THE HELL

BackBergtt said...

Still don't get how there isn't a player on this team capable of putting two good corners in a row together.

BackBergtt said...

Terrible call. There it is.

Jim Hendry said...

The soccer gods giveth with March, and they taketh away with April. Fugggg

BackBergtt said...

Six points in seven games. Ugh.

And will Rafa be left without using all his subs in a draw yet again?

Jim Hendry said...

FOUR MINUTES.... COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON

BackBergtt said...

Fernando Alonso, the ultimate Spanish player.

Jim Hendry said...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL

The NY Kid said...

SUPER JEW!

The Fan's Attic said...

TORAH! TORAH! TORAH!

Jim Hendry said...

SUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPER JEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Season is still alive!

BackBergtt said...

OH MAN I HOPE THAT WAS FOR US

stream still behind

BackBergtt said...

LEGEND

Jim Hendry said...

Think Rafa will forgive him for playing for Israel with that dodgy hamstring


Most deserved three points ever.

BackBergtt said...

Gerrard with the little beauty of a setup, choke on it Duffy.

Jim Hendry said...

I forgive the slaying of Jesus

Jews are great. Thank you Yossi. He is a wonderful player. Came on and immediately created chances.

Sorry Fulham. Tough to bear, but shit. We destroyed the woodwork today.

The Fan's Attic said...

that'll make the rest of the day that much nicer.

BackBergtt said...

Time to go on a bar crawl and get shit blasted, I was worried about doing it in a shitty mood, now I'm glowing like I'm told mothers do.

30f said...

Aww, crapstacks. Can't say Fulham deserved any better.

The upside is this makes the rest of the season more interesting with all the 'Reds' still in it.

Intertoto anyone ?