It does not. I was just saying over at the other site, we should beat the shit out of OUFC but we probably won't... I did predict a 2 - 1 win for us but I knew in my heart a draw was inevitable.
Congrats to former Sheffield Wednesday (on loan) keeper Emiliano Martinez for his World Cup-winning heroics. I saw him in goal for the Owls away to Wigan (0-1 loss) in 2014 and then a few days later at Hillsborough v Birmingham City (a 4-1 win). Daft Argentinians will probably think today's performance more impressive, but that drubbing of Brum was something, I can tell you. I didn't watch any* of this God-forsaken Winter World Cup, and frankly couldn't be happier that it's over. Roll on, proper football season. *actually, I did watch one game - USA v Iran. But that's literally all I saw.
Even though I was vehemently against viewing I did watch several games myself. I did watch the second half of the final and I have to say it was the best game I think I've ever seen... with the exception of the fact that I can't stand either team. I was opposed to the WC for political reasons. What were your reasons @pookspur ?
That FIFA gave it to a country with neither a shred of football heritage, an ounce of the requisite infrastructure, nor suitability to fit within the parameters of its scheduling requirements. Having to move the WC from Summer to Winter is vastly more than an inconvenience, it's effed up professional football scheduling - and cultural norms - virtually everywhere in the world. The facts that Qatar signed on to a Summer event - something they would be manifestly unable to provide - and contractual obligations to sell beer there, which they renegged on in violation not just of a 'partner', but of one of the event's primary sponsors, makes FIFA culpable in ways that go far beyond just corruption. They've always been corrupt, but this was incompetence at a staggering level. And most importantly, indifference to the culture of their own game. You can toss in that whole 'indifference to the lives of countless thousands of what appears very much like slave labor' thing, or 'no homos allowed', or whatever else that flies in the face of modern civilization, if you want. But giving the finger to every football fan in the world* just to line their pockets is the main thing for me. They could've lined their filthy pockets without pissing all over football culture - hell, they do it every four years - but that to me is unforgivable. *I was gonna say 'outside Qatar', but of course, it'd be the same thing, because there aren't any football fans in Qatar.
Spot on, beautiful, apt. 100% agreed. I may share this elsewhere if that's ok. I won't mention your name of course... if not that's fine and understood but you have summed it up perfectly and in a way that I could never match.
Got the result, but another flat performance. They don't seem to be gelling at this time of season like they did last year. Plymouth and Ipswich both won, so it feels like Wednesday are just hanging on in the fight for automatic promotion. But they're tough to break down, so they should be able to stay in it. I just thought they'd be taking a firmer hold of this division by now.
Oh, I'm deffo not counting them out. But I was really confident that they'd kick on in the second half and walk automatic promotion. They still may get it, but they don't look ready to cruise to it.
Michael Smith with a brace. The second was real quality. Plymouth are who I see falling off ... but they've sure not started yet. 1-0 over Wycombe today.
Hammering Cambridge at the moment. 5-0 up. Windlass hat trick. Ipswich was losing to 10 men at Lincoln, but leveled in the 81st. Hold on, Imps!
I love the 3rd round day of the FA Cup. It's right up there with Boxing Day and the last day of the season as the top footy calendar days. I was banging on quite a bit about it on the Spurs forum. Needless to say, Wednesday's win over Newcastle was brilliant, and precisely the kind of performance/result that makes the 3rd round so great. I was also most pleased to hear about Stevenage's big win at Villa Park. ... until I realized who Stevenage's gaffer is. It's that fat bastard Steve Evans. I almost wish I could take back the elation I felt when I read that their 90th minute winner. Taken a bit of the shine off it for me, I'm afraid. Still, a helluva result, that.