The Round Ball Game - II

[teamsaint]

Exactly, ts - Not just Wycombe - if we don’t buck up Barnsley, Bolton and Derby too - need to be top 2 as we’ll mess up if in olayoffs!

My Ipswich supporting colleague thinks you and them are nailed on………well he did at the works do on Friday !!

It was the World Cup final today. I saw bits and pieces of it. France looked out for the count until a penalty out of the bleu got them back into it.

The whole tournament has exposed what we knew in our hearts about the way money controls the game, not least in this country.

It will take a while, and probably a lot of coincidental economic turmoil, for this all to play out. We are in very uncertain times.

But , on the plus side it is League Cup week . Hurrah !!

[johncorrigan]

I thought the cup final was pretty excellent. Argentina were all over France for 80 minutes - Les Bleus looked like they were going to meekly hand over their crown. Then the following 40+ minutes were pretty riveting as Mbappe suddenly showed what he was capable of. The Penalty shoot-out was predictable with Argentina winning the toss and having the pens taken in front of their fans. The Villa goalie psyched out the French (except for Mbappe) and the result was never in doubt. Great game to finish off a very dodgy tournament. Footie can still be great, but the guvnors of the game stink.

[teamsaint]

I thought the cup final was pretty excellent. Argentina were all over France for 80 minutes - Les Bleus looked like they were going to meekly hand over their crown. Then the following 40+ minutes were pretty riveting as Mbappe suddenly showed what he was capable of. The Penalty shoot-out was predictable with Argentina winning the toss and having the pens taken in front of their fans. The Villa goalie psyched out the French (except for Mbappe) and the result was never in doubt. Great game to finish off a very dodgy tournament. Footie can still be great, but the guvnors of the game stink.

Excellent summary JC.

[johncorrigan]

Excellent summary JC.

Oh yes, ts, and Messi got his hands on the World Cup, at last. Fairytale FIFAWC complete.

[antongould]

Excellent summary JC.

Indeed

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oh yes, ts, and Messi got his hands on the World Cup, at last. Fairytale FIFAWC complete.

I wonder whether the mood would’ve been quite so positive, had Portugal won the trophy.

[teamsaint]

I wonder whether the mood would’ve been quite so positive, had Portugal won the trophy.

Whatever one might think of some aspects of Ronaldo's ( media) persona, and whether one holds a preference for Messi or Big Ron it would have been a fitting end to an equally incredible career.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

But , on the plus side it is League Cup week . Hurrah !!

Hurrah indeed, football with some remnant of integrity about it. Took my eye off the ball rather too much - not just the hijacked World Cup - as it seems they've moved the Saints/Lincoln game to today, a bit late for me to make a case for getting down to St Mary's given that we're prepping for the trip north, which is tomorrow, when I thought the game was. Interesting to see how the new boss approaches it.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I wonder whether the mood would’ve been quite so positive, had Portugal won the trophy.

FIFA wouldn't have got their Qatar ambassador win bonus.

[jayne lee wilson]

Definitive - and devastating.....from the best writer out there.....

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/19/the-winner-is-qatar-project-hard-football-power-world-cup-2022

...and what a disheartening, even heartbreaking, picture....

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Definitive - and devastating.....from the best writer out there.....

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/19/the-winner-is-qatar-project-hard-football-power-world-cup-2022

...and what a disheartening, even heartbreaking, picture....

Indeed. David Squires' pages, always worth a look, haven't let those involved off the hook either.

[antongould]

Toon 1 Boscombe 0

A full house as there was for a friendly a few days before …….

[johncorrigan]

Lovely early Christmas pressie with the Buddies humping the Dons in Paisley 3-1 in the lunchtime kick off. Thanks Santa aka big Jim Goodwin, our former boss.

[cloughie]

Fleetwood 1 Owls 2

Good to get back to gaining 3 points in one go! First half of season completed averaging 2 points per game - and still not top two !

[teamsaint]

Fleetwood 1 Owls 2

Good to get back to gaining 3 points in one go! First half of season completed averaging 2 points per game - and still not top two !

Keep it up, and we should be playing you next season, I should think.
Saints seem to keep getting worse.