The Round Ball Game

[teamsaint]

"Magic of the FA Cup" as epitomised by Southampton U21 v Arsenal Reserves. Anyone know how much the punters have been charged for tickets ?

I went, for reasons that would seem strange to a normal person.

£15

Trouble is, nothing matters at all ,except money , in the modern game. I won't bore you with the details,but the club I support is just as bad as the others.
OK, £15 isn't a huge amount, but the painful truth is that 30 years ago , todays game would have had a white hot atmosphere,the fans would have been prepared to pay a premium to get in, and the players would have bust a gut.
Todays game was little more than a training exercise, with my team resting almost all of its first choice players for the game at Swansea on Tuesday.

Wednesday's win in the league cup also meant that the Southampton manager had probably surpassed one half of his objectives for the season, and can now concentrate on the vital business of accumulating 12 more PL points.

All rather sad.

[teamsaint]

Can anyone shed light on what the fair play rules are all about. Very unhelpful and arguably unfair to aspiring Championship sides. The January window shows how unfair the situation is. It appears that sides such as Villa with previous big budgets and the benefit of the 'we'll subsidise your failure' parachute payments, can afford to beat any other club in the transfer market.

Even on football forums, those who really know their stuff struggle with these rules.

In the real world, AFCB who broke the rules getting promoted got a fine and slap on the wrist, while a couple of other clubs got long bans from buying players. I have no idea why the difference .

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I saw the first half at a pub near the Barbican and was grateful that being involved in the Glass Total Immersion meantI hadn't wasted £15 plus return train fare on this rubbish. What happened to "bringing the game into disrepute"?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In shock? I saw a couple of Merseysiders today, they didn’t look like they were in shock - in fact they looked very happy and smart, with their blue and white scarves.

And they wear shirts emblazoned with the motto "I always walk alone," whilst whistling "Johnny Todd".

[cloughie]

Good spot Cloughie. I have looked up the result but will not comment before Edge's official classified check.

So have I so you have more reason to smile

[cloughie]

I went, for reasons that would seem strange to a normal person.

£15

Trouble is, nothing matters at all ,except money , in the modern game. I won't bore you with the details,but the club I support is just as bad as the others.
OK, £15 isn't a huge amount, but the painful truth is that 30 years ago , todays game would have had a white hot atmosphere,the fans would have been prepared to pay a premium to get in, and the players would have bust a gut.
Todays game was little more than a training exercise, with my team resting almost all of its first choice players for the game at Swansea on Tuesday.

Wednesday's win in the league cup also meant that the Southampton manager had probably surpassed one half of his objectives for the season, and can now concentrate on the vital business of accumulating 12 more PL points.

All rather sad.

I think a side of the ilk of Burnley might prosper in the FA cup this season.

[johncorrigan]

I think a side of the ilk of Burnley might prosper in the FA cup this season.

As long as they can keep getting drawn at Turf Moor, cloughie.
I loved listening to those Lincoln fans today on the radio...and then the minute of silence after the time-added-on board went up with 8 minutes on it. Took them a couple of minutes to get their voice back. Terrific entertainment.

[EdgeleyRob]

FA Cup,4th round,some shockers

Liverpool 1 Wolves 2 Forum derby,deserved win for Championship team,2-0 up at the break,Reds poor January continues
Chelsea 4 Brentford 0 Easy win v the Championship side,2 goals in each half
Crystal Palace 0 them 3 Easily beaten,poor form under the new manager continues
Lincoln City 3 Brighton 1 Led at the break but fell apart in the 2nd half against the non league side
Oxford United 3 Newcastle United 0 Another shock,conceded 3 in the 2nd half v the League one team
Southampton 0 Arsenal 5 Forum derby,almost a reserve team fixture,Gunners easy winners,Saints disappointing

League

Bristol Rovers 1 Swindon Town 0 Scored on 29 mins,welcome win after back to back defeats
Northampton Town 3 Coventry City 0 Played for 70 mins with 10 men,conceded the goals in 23 2nd half mins,8 points from safety
Newport County 3 Hartlepool United 1 Disappointing start for the new manager against the bottom ream
Aldershot Town 0 York City 0 Decent away point v the play off chasers,remain bottom
Wrexham 2 Boreham Wood 1 Led at the break via a pen then won it on 93 mins after conceding a 76th min pen
Halifax Town 0 Stockport County 0 Bore draw
Chelmsford City 2 Truro City 0 Forum derby,home side won it with goals on 51 and 80 mins
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 Partick Thistle 0 Forum Thistle derby,honours even,Jags top 6 Caley remain bottom
St Mirren 1 Falkirk 2 Got back from 0-2 to 1-2 on 77 mins,averaging a point every 2 games,remain bottom
Hereford 2 Tiverton Town 1 Won it in the 1st half,now 19 points clear at the top


Manchester United and East Stirlingshire play later today

No games for Bournemouth,Sheffield Wednesday,Wimbledon,

[cloughie]

As long as they can keep getting drawn at Turf Moor, cloughie.
I loved listening to those Lincoln fans today on the radio...and then the minute of silence after the time-added-on board went up with 8 minutes on it. Took them a couple of minutes to get their voice back. Terrific entertainment.

Yes another great day for the Imps. Point taken about Burnley - an away day at one of the top six may curtail their hopes - or Lincoln or Oxford!

[EdgeleyRob]

And finally this weekend

FA Cup 4th round

Manchester United 4 Wigan Athletic 0 No shock here,convincing win despite a difficult 1st half,led 1-0 at the break,dominated the 2nd half

League

East Stirlingshire 1 Spartans 4 Took the lead early in the game but were 1-2 down at half time,remain 2nd in the table

[teamsaint]

I think buying a box set might cheer me up.

Conceding a goal on a breakaway from your own corner .

[Beef Oven!]

Conceding a goal on a breakaway from your own corner .

Who else’s corner can such a goal be scored from?

[teamsaint]

Who else’s corner can such a goal be scored from?

Mind your own business



Please.

I'm having to repeatedly edit this .....

[Beef Oven!]

Mind your own business



Please.

I'm having to repeatedly edit this .....

Glad to see you can take defeat!

[EdgeleyRob]

Latest

Arsenal 1 Watford 2 Surprise defeat,conceded 2 in 3 1st half mins,pulled 1 back on 58 mins,down to 3rd
Bournemouth 0 Crystal Palace 2 Forum derby,goals at the start and end of the 2nd half,Cherries just 1 win in their last 7 league games,Eagles 1st win under new manager
Burnley 1 Leicester 0 Conceded a very late goal,failed to score in 4 consecutive league games,just 2 points above bottom 3
Swansea City 2 Southampton 1 Behind 1-0 at the break,equalised on 57 mins then lost it on 70 mins,lost 5 of last 6 league games,12th
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1 Forum derby,Blues (9 points clear at the top) took the lead on 24 mins and missed a pen after Reds (4th) equalised on 57 mins,
Barnsley 1 Wolves 3 Super away win v the play off contenders,2-0 up at the break,scored a 3rd on 77 mins
Bristol City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 2 Took the lead twice but had to settle for a point,now out of the top 6
Brackley Town 0 Stockport County 3 Led 2-0 at the break,sealed it on 87 mins,IN THE PLAY OFF PLACES

Hamilton Academical 3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 Behind 1-0 at the break,missed a 1st half pen,no win in 12 league games,remain bottom