Association Football in The British Isles

[Good Intentions]

Arsenal player makes his debut and scores the most spectacular own goal of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HYV5HDpFqQ

That's a pretty good one, but my favourite still is this unstoppable header by John Arne Riise into his own net. Bonus marks for how significant it was in the tie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMVjzkJU7Ng&feature=related

[Chet]

I remember seeing Regi Blinker score this particularly stunning headed own goal against Aberdeen. Celtic went on to lose that game 3-2. The two goals were penalities, and Celtic missed two penalities before that.

[Nick Ink]

Blackpool's slightly fortuitous 1-0 win at Hull last night means we're off the bottom of the table (where we'd been languishing all close season thanks to the bloody alphabet) and running!

1   Blackpool      1   1   3
2   Barnsley   0   0   0
3   Birmingham   0   0   0
4   Brighton   0   0   0
5   Bristol City   0   0   0
6   Burnley   0   0   0
7   Cardiff   0   0   0
8   Coventry   0   0   0
9   Crystal Pal   0   0   0
10   Derby   0   0   0
11   Doncaster   0   0   0
12   Ipswich   0   0   0
13   Leeds   0   0   0
14   Leicester   0   0   0
15   Middlesbro   0   0   0
16   Millwall   0   0   0
17   Nott'm For   0   0   0
18   Peterboro   0   0   0
19   Portsmth   0   0   0
20   Reading   0   0   0
21   Soton   0   0   0
22   Watford   0   0   0
23   West Ham   0   0   0
24   Hull City   1   -1   0

That vicious bastard 'Hope' is sharpening his knuckledusters once again.

[kyle]

WEEKENDS MATTER AGAIN!

Wooooo!

Excited for the Manch Derby tomorrow. Dortmund look good even though they've lost Sahin. Stoked! At this point I can't see anybody really competing with Man U this year. Chelsea need to rebuild, Arsenal are falling apart, & Liverpool & Man City need a season or two for everyone to start jelling. We'll see.

If Torres can regain his form this year it could be Chelsea's year, which would be good news for their new coach, though he could be fired anyways when they don't win the Champions League again next spring.

PSG should be rolling Ligue 1 once they get everything figured out.

Making an effot to watch more Bundesliga this year. I love their games and I hope Dortmund have a good Champions League run.

[Good Intentions]

Anybody interested in us having a little fantasy football league going for the Premier League? We might not have many participants, but we might insinuate ourselves into a different league (last we did this we were competing with Nick's brother, amongst others).

[Nick Ink]

Anybody interested in us having a little fantasy football league going for the Premier League? We might not have many participants, but we might insinuate ourselves into a different league (last we did this we were competing with Nick's brother, amongst others).

I would support such a venture, but I am semi-boycotting the PL this season, and for the first time in 6 years I'm not actually setting one up myself.

It is with a huge sigh of relief that I am now concentrating on proper football again. So far, although the league is a mere 36 hours old, I have watched live streams of AFC Wimbledon V Bristol Rovers, Hull City V Blackpool and Brighton & Hove Albion V Doncaster Rovers. Today's the big one of course, West Ham V Cardiff City live on the Beeb at 1.

As I say, Marinus, I'll happily join in if you want to instigate such a thing, but I'm privately resolved to not watching a kick of Premier League this season, if I can manage it.

[Good Intentions]

The year I won our league (or got really close to winning it, I can't remember exactly) I didn't see any PL football, I put my teams together based on newspaper reports.

[Nick Ink]

The year I won our league (or got really close to winning it, I can't remember exactly) I didn't see any PL football, I put my teams together based on newspaper reports.

A fittingly scholarly approach!

41 minutes to KO.

[Nick Ink]

Ah, back to business - a nice, reassuring 1-0 home defeat. 

[Chet]

Celtic laboured to an uimpressive 0-1 win at Aberdeen. Although, Nick,  you'll be happy to hear that our South Korean Ki 'Dave' Sung-Yueng put in another MOTM performance and is quickly turning into one of our most important players, changing the minds' of his many doubters in this process.

[Nick Ink]

Ki 'Dave' Sung-Yueng

Linked with Tottenham in some papers today, I see.

[Chet]

I imagine that's a load of shite, but I'd carry him down there myself for the figure quoted. In other Celtic-Spurs related news there are rumours of Bentley joining us on loan.

[Chet]

Bill Hicks at Celtic Park

[Nick Ink]

[Chet]

Not to disappoint you, Nick, but I think yours is a photoshop.

[Nick Ink]

No way!

(He did come to a game though )

[kyle]

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2011/08/12/report-fabregass-barca-move-done/


FINALLY. UGH! So sick of hearing about this shit.

[Good Intentions]

Anybody interested in us having a little fantasy football league going for the Premier League? We might not have many participants, but we might insinuate ourselves into a different league (last we did this we were competing with Nick's brother, amongst others).

I would support such a venture, but I am semi-boycotting the PL this season, and for the first time in 6 years I'm not actually setting one up myself.

Since it's just you and me, Nick, let's not bother.

[Nick Ink]

Anybody interested in us having a little fantasy football league going for the Premier League? We might not have many participants, but we might insinuate ourselves into a different league (last we did this we were competing with Nick's brother, amongst others).

I would support such a venture, but I am semi-boycotting the PL this season, and for the first time in 6 years I'm not actually setting one up myself.

Since it's just you and me, Nick, let's not bother.

I feel like I have let you down a bit there, GI, but I'm firming up my Premier League boycott and it would be like an alcoholic renting a room above a pub.

Today's my first big test of course, but I'm hoping to avoid Football Focus by taking the kids out for a play on the beach, then this afternoon I'm banking on fishing out some sort of radio feed of Doncaster Rovers V West Ham to keep me busy. As for Match Of The Day tonight, well I could hardly ever manage to stay awake for that anyway, ao that should be okay.

I would be delighted to discuss the Championship, of course. My very brief thoughts at the moment are:

West Ham: unrealistically short odds to go straight back up but should really be top 3 or 4 material. The new manager is experienced and has bought well for this league. It will take a while to shake off a 3 year-long losing mentality though.

Brighton & Southampton: Two newly promoted south coast teams on the up. Brighton have a brilliant new stadium after years in the wilderness, and Southampton, once a top flight mainstay, are starting to spend a
bit of cash.

Leicester City: Along with West Ham, the bookies' clear favourites to walk the league. Manager is Sven Goran Eriksson, former England coach, and new owners mean they are absolutely loaded - the Man City of the Championship perhaps.

Middlesborough: and a huge fan base, the Smoggies are also hoping for top 6 and at least the play-offs.

Nottingham Forest & Cardiff City: While both have replaced their managers (Forest have another former-England man, Steve McLaren), both look a bit depleted with key players leaving after two seasons of going close without the requisite cigar.

Burnley / Hull City: Both relegated from the Prem ier leaguie two years ago and after disappointing mid-table seasons of adjustment last year, could be challengers this time. Small squads and suspect defences though.

Birmingham: It was a bit of a shock when Brum slipped through the Premier League trap door at the death last season and at first the bookies had them nailed on as favourites to come straight back. Since then, though, their manager has been poached by bitter rivals Aston Villa, their best players have jumped ship and their owner has been summoned by Hong Kong courts on money-laundering charges, An opening-day defeat later and the bookies now find 10 teams more likely to go up.

Reading: Last year's cinderella team, missing out to Swansea City in the play-off final. Should be thereabouts.

There are other possibles - Ipswich look quite tasty, and Leeds will be a force if (a big if) they keep their best players.

Relegation-wise, the Yorkshire pair, Doncaster Rovers (our opponents today) and Barnsely are widely-tipped to drop, but I think they've got a decent mix of aggression and quality and will hang in there. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, look certs to me, and Derby need to improve under Nigel Clough. Special mention for the third team to be promoted from League 1 last year, the amazing Peterborough United, whose games last season averaged 7 goals.  

Today's stand-out fixtures:

Doncaster V West Ham
Leicester V Reading
Portsmouth V Brighton



Don't ask me about Millwall.

[Chet]

Celtic won 5-1. Woo.

Unfortunately Rangers also won, with two penalties. Wait until you see what they got them for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTlnecGOHOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xPUa1Ml5iw

Unfortunately, they get these kind of decisions on an almostly weekly basis.

[Nick Ink]

Celtic won 5-1. Woo.

Unfortunately Rangers also won, with two penalties. Wait until you see what they got them for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTlnecGOHOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xPUa1Ml5iw

Unfortunately, they get these kind of decisions on an almostly weekly basis.

That first one is absolutely ridiculous. It's really sad that the art of tackling has been taken out of the game - Bobby Moore would have been proud of that one.

The second one, I'm not so sure. The replays suggest a (rather stupid) shove in the back, and that's the only explanation I can think of for the Rangers' forward's reaction/appeal.

5 different scorers for Celtic, I see - always nice.

Good to see Greenock Morton get a win under their belts too.

West Ham got an 'Allardyce win' - 1 shot on target, 1 goal, 1 clean sheet, 3 points, thank you very much. It's the future. Brighton also won again, surviving a last minute penalty miss.

[Nick Ink]

Much better from the 'Ammers tonight, and back-to-back away wins for the first time since 2007. 

[Thermofusion]

How is Blackpool looking?

Also, how far down into the league rabbit hole do you have to go before football games stop being readily available on UK television? In other words, I gather that Championship League games are broadcast, but can you like, watch obscure teams battle it out in the really low, basement conferences?

[Nick Ink]

How is Blackpool looking?

Also, how far down into the league rabbit hole do you have to go before football games stop being readily available on UK television? In other words, I gather that Championship League games are broadcast, but can you like, watch obscure teams battle it out in the really low, basement conferences?

Blackpool have won their first two games, both by the odd goal. So look like they might be up there. Very early days, of course, but if they beat Derby tonight then they'll be (joint) top:

1   Southamp   3   6   9
2   Middlesbro   3   3   7
3   West Ham   3   4   6
4   Cardiff   2   3   6
5   Crystal Pal   3   2   6
6   Blackpool   2   2   6
7   Brighton   2   2   6
8   Derby   2   2   6
9   Millwall   2   2   4
10   Reading   3   1   4
11   Portsmouth   3   0   4
12   Nott'm Forest   3   -1   4
13   Leeds   3   0   3
14   Peterboro   2   0   3
15   Birmingham   2   0   3
16   Ipswich   3   -1   3
17   Leicester   2   -1   3
18   Hull           3   -3   3
19   Burnley   2   -2   1
20   Barnsley   3   -3   1
21   Watford   3   -5   1
22   Coventry   3   -3   0
23   Doncaster   3   -3   0
24   Bristol City   2   -5   0


90% (maybe more) of Championship games are not televised, and in fact for nearly all games you only get the goals on a highlights programme. If a game is being televised (anywhere in the world), then it's pretty straightforward to get a stream nowadays, but as I say, they're few and far between. Being a 'big fish', West Ham get a bit more coverage - our nexty two games are both on Sky, for example, but then nothing for the rest of the year.

Otherwise, it's radio all the way. I like radio commentary - it's exciting and kind of nostalgic.

League 1 and League 2 are never televised, anywhere.

[Thermofusion]

I love listening to sports on the radio, too, and I think my favorite by-product of the smartphone age is how easy it is to listen to my favorite teams' broadcasts regardless of where I am, or what I'm doing, or how far out I've wandered into the middle of nowhere.

Good for Blackpool's decent start! I'll have to figure out how to listen to a few of their games online.