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shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1921New Post! Apr 02, 2019 @ 19:42:05
Messi's 2 goals on the weekend means that he has now scored 40 or more goals at club level for 10 seasons in succession.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1922New Post! Apr 06, 2019 @ 14:57:01
Well done to Hibs
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1923New Post! Apr 06, 2019 @ 14:58:09
Massive game coming up in the Bundesliga with Bayern at home to Dortmund.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1924New Post! Apr 07, 2019 @ 06:36:51
Bayern München have smashed Dortmund 5-0. With just 6 games to go Bayern are now 1 pt clear of Dortmund with a significant goal advantage.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1925New Post! Apr 07, 2019 @ 06:40:39
Leeds have lost 1-0 to Birmingham and surrendered 2nd spot to Sheffield United.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1926New Post! Apr 07, 2019 @ 06:45:09
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1927New Post! Apr 11, 2019 @ 15:29:56
5 games to go and Leeds lead the blades by 1 pt.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1928New Post! Apr 15, 2019 @ 17:47:34
What a win for Lille
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1929New Post! Apr 18, 2019 @ 13:35:16
A good win for Spurs
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1930New Post! Apr 18, 2019 @ 13:35:36
A really top result for Ajax
Jennifer1984 On July 20, 2022
Returner and proud





Penzance, United Kingdom
#1931New Post! Apr 21, 2019 @ 06:30:54
So..... that was the ten days that was.

Manchester City and Spurs have slugged it out in three matches over the last week and a bit and although City have won two of the three ames they will surely still feel quite flat about being eliminated from the Champions League by so close a margin and such cruel fates as the failure of the TV technology to adequately decide on the incident that decided a hard fought two leg tie.

City have beaten Spurs in three of the four matches between the teams this season. They even won at Eastlands on Wednesday by 4-3, but as Spurs won their home leg 1-0 the week before, they go through on away goals.

But it was the third Spurs goal that has brought a very unsatisfactory end to what was a fantastic game of football on Wednesday.

Loriente's close range nudge of the ball over the goal line levelled the tie and enabled Spurs to go through on the away goal tie-breaker. There was doubt about whether he handled the ball or not and the referee rightly referred the incident to VAR which was inconclusive. The on field decision to award the goal was sustained for lack of evidence to the contrary and Spurs went ahead in the tie.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Aguero burst through the Spurs defence, passed to Sterling who fired home. 5-3. The roof came off the stadium. Spurs heads sagged. But again, the referee went to VAR which this time clearly showed that Aguero had a knee in an offside position when the ball was played to him. Goal disallowed (quite rightly). Pep Guardiola had to get the cork back into the champagne bottle.

So in the end, Spurs prevailed. But should they have done..? After the match, BT Sport put a different slight on the decision to allow Loriente's goal. Their cameras have a "magnifying glass" facility that enable super close-up of sections of a frame.

Loriente DID handle the ball. His right hand clearly nudges the ball - even though the touch was naught but a brush, but it was enough - down onto his hip from whence it bounces past Ederson.

"We wuz robbed", City fans watching on TV complain. But they might like to reflect on Aguero's missed penalty in the first leg at the brand-spanking new -though unoriginally named - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (wow, you put a lot of thought into that, didn't you, Spurs) which was crucial.

To his credit, Gueardiola refuses to criticise the referee, who made the only call he could with the evidence available to him. Something for them to look at in FIFAhaus. They get a big plus for introducing technology into the game (not before time), but when pundits on a commercial TV channel have better facilities than the on field referee to look at, then FIFA and UEFA aren't getting it quite right.

The hangover from Wednesday night spilled over to Saturday lunchtime and the final exhausting chapter in the dogfight between two excellent teams. And a dogfight it was at times, too. Both teams, now familiar with each other. One with a burning injustice that needed to be avenged and the other determined to do all they could to piss on their opponents bonfire a second time.

City got off to a flier. Teenage prodigy Phil Foden put City ahead on 4 minutes after Aguero fooled everybody by NOT trying to score himself when given a free header five yards from goal. Call yourself a striker, Sergio..? Alan Shearer would never have headed the ball back across goal to give the youngster an easy nod-in. Shearer would have wanted the glory for himself.

But this was no time for self interest. There was a debt to be paid and Foden was in a better position. Aguero headed back across goal and Foden finished the job.

And that was as good as this game got.

86 minutes of nervy football from City, who were pressed to the limit by a muscular Spurs performance. Vertonghen and Wanyama put themselves about. Danny Rose came on - Wednesday's pantomime villain for his cruel treatment of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva. Tackles flew in and you would see the bruises visibly ripen on the City players legs. This time, Spurs finished the job on de Bruyne and he had to retire hors de combat. His season looks over.

Up front for Spurs, Lucas and especially the Korean wonder boy, Son ran LaPorte and Stones ragged. Son scored three of Spurs four goals in the Champions League bunfights and clearly has the measure of the City defence. Ederson had to make several scrambling saves to keep his goal intact.

The tension in the stands was palpable. If Spurs had equalised, it would put Liverpool in pole position for the league title. City couldn't afford to drop two points...... and especially, they didn't want Tottenham bloody Hotspur to be the ones who did it... not after Wednesday night.

But hang on they did. Just. The final whistle came - not soon enough for City - and they nipped back to the top of the Premier League if only for 24 hours. Liverpool will surely do a number on Cardiff at lunchtime today.

The bottom line is this: If City win their remaining matches they will be league champions, if only by a single point.

Liverpool look to have the easier run in, but City have a game in hand. All to play for. Who will blink first..?

Liverpool REALLY want this Premier League title. Their fierce determination might just make the difference, but they're still in the Champions League - a distraction City no longer have to factor in. A tough Euro semi final against Barcelona will test Scouser resources.

On the other hand, City have to go to Old Trafford on Wednesday night. That won't be easy. It is already being mooted by fans that United would - shall we say (ahem) that United might not try too hard. They hate Liverpool more than they hate City (who they still look down on) and would rather the title stayed in Manchester, even if it is at Eastlands, rather than adorn the Anfield trophy room.

I don't believe that. United want third place in the league for their Champions League place next season. Spurs lost yesterday which makes Spurs hold on third place less secure. Three points would close the gap between them quite nicely, thank you very much.

This has been a fantastic Premier League chase. It should go to the wire and the outcome is impossible to predict. City have won 17 out of 18 matches in all competitions since losing at Newcastle in January. But Liverpool have lost only one league match all season (to City). There's only one point in it (although City have superior goal difference, which is as good as an extra point in the event of a tie.)

It couldn't be tighter. It couldn't be more exciting.

Football....... bloody hell.
Jennifer1984 On July 20, 2022
Returner and proud





Penzance, United Kingdom
#1932New Post! Apr 24, 2019 @ 04:04:13
Sad to hear of the passing of Billy McNeill at the age of 79. The former captain of Glasgow Celtic and Scotland, and captain of the famous 'Lisbon Lions', who won the European Cup in 1967, beating Inter Milan 2-1 in the final held at Benfica's Estadio da Luz (Stadium of Light).

Celtic won the European Cup with a team made up entirely of Scots, almost all of whom were Glaswegians, many born within a few miles of Parkhead. It seems impossible to think that the feat of winning, arguably, the most prestigious club trophy in the world with a team of local lads could ever be achieved again.

McNeil was Celtic captain for many years, leading them to a seemingly endless parade of trophies and glory. They reached the European Cup Final again in 1970, beating Don Revie's Leeds United in the so-called 'Battle of Britain' in the semi final. The second leg of that tie being watched by more than 120'000 at Hampden. Unfortunately, Celtic lost that final 1-2 to Feyenoord.

He had a successful managerial career in Scotland and England before finally retiring, but he was honoured by Celtic with a statue outside Parkhead (now re-named Celtic Park) depicting him in his most glorious moment; holding 'Old Big Ears' aloft in Lisbon all those years ago.





Billy McNeill, Captain of Celtic and Scotland. 1940 -2019. Rest in Peace.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1933New Post! May 04, 2019 @ 22:32:57
And so Cardiff join Fulham and Huddersfield in the Championship next season.
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1934New Post! May 04, 2019 @ 22:36:27
Meanwhile AFC Wimbledon pulled off a great escape...
shadowen On March 22, 2024




Bunyip Bend, Australia
#1935New Post! May 04, 2019 @ 22:40:49
In the Bundesliga Bayern have all but wrapped up another title with Dortmund's title challenge faltering im the final 6 weeks or so.
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