European Soccer Part XIII

[Don King]

DK- my England shirt is a UK XL which is a US L. That one is an Umbro, which uses the UK sizing.

Arsenal and United shirts are Nike now, so I'm thinking they're probably American sizes. The kitbag site is usually pretty good about listing the inches, but soccer shirts can be a little off in true inches.

I was just confused because my shirt is obviously sz 52, whereas the site lists it variously as sz 48 or "47-49".

But I'm not complaining. :D I'll keep in mind what you said about the different manufacturers-- that's very good advice.


One more question (I'm full of 'em lately) for Bob: are you heading to Highbury again this year along with ArsenalAmerica? For some reason I thought that the club was defunct, but they seem to be going quite strong.

[Terrierbyassociation]

Arsenal won the EPL Fair Play award last season, but given that they already had a CL place, I suppose Charlton could have been the runners up?


Thats how its supposed to work I thought but it didn't happen that way. UEFA is supposed to take the 5th and 6th teams as well as the EPL fairplay winner. Arsenal won the fairplay, and ironically Charlton would have won it if it wasn't for that idiot Scott Parker ;)

Oh well.

[Bob Gray]

I was just confused because my shirt is obviously sz 52, whereas the site lists it variously as sz 48 or "47-49".

But I'm not complaining. :D I'll keep in mind what you said about the different manufacturers-- that's very good advice.


One more question (I'm full of 'em lately) for Bob: are you heading to Highbury again this year along with ArsenalAmerica? For some reason I thought that the club was defunct, but they seem to be going quite strong.
ArsenalAmerica is making another trip this year, but I won't be able to make it this time. I'm targeting a trip either next year or maybe the first season in Ashburton Grove. It'd be great to get my picture taken with the EPL championship trophy like I did with the FA Cup, but I should be able to accomplish that with a trip next year or the year after as well as if I had gone this year! :D

I think they got a good number of folks going again this year, as I recall getting an e-mail that the spots were mostly filled. ArsenalAmerica is transitioning to being an official supporter club, rather than just an organization of Arsenal supporters in America. I haven't been on their site much lately, but they do seem to be doing well.

[Don King]

I think they got a good number of folks going again this year, as I recall getting an e-mail that the spots were mostly filled. ArsenalAmerica is transitioning to being an official supporter club, rather than just an organization of Arsenal supporters in America. I haven't been on their site much lately, but they do seem to be doing well.

According to their site they got even more people than they expected. I'm hoping against hope that next year's trip is during a time I have off from classes, as I can't really afford to miss an entire week at the beginning of December (right before finals).

Barring that, though, I'm just trying to find a way to see Highbury before it closes. Unfortunately the team's calendar coincides almost exactly with the scholastic calendar. I'm thinking my only chance might be in early August next season, or maybe in early January over Christmas break.

[Bob Gray]

According to their site they got even more people than they expected. I'm hoping against hope that next year's trip is during a time I have off from classes, as I can't really afford to miss an entire week at the beginning of December (right before finals).

Barring that, though, I'm just trying to find a way to see Highbury before it closes. Unfortunately the team's calendar coincides almost exactly with the scholastic calendar. I'm thinking my only chance might be in early August next season, or maybe in early January over Christmas break.
The last two trips have been early December, but I think the one before that was somewhere around New Years. I think people have favored the early December time the last couple years as it lines up well with seeing a CL game as well as a league game at Highbury, plus you get the Christmas atmosphere in London which is really great but it's far enough from the holiday that hotel rates aren't jacked up to holiday season levels yet. I think last year the last night I stayed in London on the trip my hotel rate went up like 50 percent. I'd suggest keeping an eye out on ArsenalAmerica for when they start planning the trip next season (or possibly a spring trip, which has been batted around a bit in the past) and put in your two cents on when you'd like to see it happen.

While going with ArsenalAmerica is great, you don't have to go with them. There's some Arsenal folks on bigsoccer that seem to be pretty good about trying to get tickets for visiting Americans if they're given a bit of warning. Otherwise tickets are rather scarce except for maybe a Worthington Cup game.

[Bruce Ciskie]

Beckham escapes further punishment. (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=313838&cc=5901)

This is hilarious. He ADMITS TO DOING IT, but the FA cites "insufficient evidence". :eek:

The Football Association decided there was 'insufficient evidence' to charge Beckham, despite his confession last week that he had fouled Ben Thatcher intentionally because - knowing he was injured - he wanted another booking to incur a one-match ban and wipe out his existing caution.

The FA demanded an explanation from Beckham and launched a disciplinary investigation but, despite a fulsome apology from the Real Madrid midfielder, have concluded they cannot charge him with bringing the game into disrepute and have contented themselves with the mildest of rebukes in the form of a reminder of his responsibilities.

Beckham had originally claimed in a newspaper interview that 'it was deliberate'.

'I am sure some people think that I have not got the brains to be that clever, but I do have the brains. I knew I will be out for a few weeks, so I thought: 'Let's get the yellow card out of the way'.'

Beckham's written explanation to the FA is thought to have differed significantly from that version. The FA's compliance unit did attempt to obtain the tape of his interview but were rebuffed.

Those developments were enough for the compliance officers to decide they could not bring a charge.

[Don King]

0-0 at half time from Old Trafford. Both teams spent half of the first period attempting to score, and the other half kicking the bloody hell out of each other. Cole has been booked; so have both Nevilles, and a multitude of other players have got off rather luckily, including Vieira. Also, Van Nistelrooy attempted to snap Ashley Cole's shin in half with a stamp but wasn't called (here's hoping the EPL reviews that one, as it was blatant and premeditated); and Rio Ferdinand was allowed to run over Freddie Ljungberg when Ljungberg was away on goal-- it could easily have been a straight red card.

ManU has had the better of the chances, but Arsenal blocked a couple of point-blank shots, plus Cristiano Ronaldo believes he can score from anywhere and thus refuses to pass the ball to others for better chances.

Henry got in on goal one time but his shot was nicely saved by Carroll.

This game has all of the makings of a 0-0 draw.

[Don King]

CHEATING MANSCUM

ROONEY = CHEATING DIVER

ManU can't beat Arsenal without cheating blatantly. Rooney goes down in the penalty area literally without being touched. If the FA had any sense of fairness they'd ban him for five or ten matches.

Cheating, cheating United.

You only win when you're cheating
Win when you're cheating
Win when you're cheaaaating....

[MavrckMngr]

Shrek and Horseface should've both gotten sent off today.

City losing at Newcaslte doesn't really bother me cos we still played very very well but the way the Rags resorted to winning today was just shameful.

[Terrierbyassociation]

Shrek and Horseface should've both gotten sent off today.

City losing at Newcaslte doesn't really bother me cos we still played very very well but the way the Rags resorted to winning today was just shameful.


I hope you're proud of your team Rags fans, what a completely classless performance.

[Don King]

Shrek and Horseface should've both gotten sent off today.


Don't forget Ferdinand, who was allowed to run over Ljungberg in the first half with no repercussions.

[MavrckMngr]

Don't forget Ferdinand, who was allowed to run over Ljungberg in the first half with no repercussions.
Rio's crack shipment didn't come in this week. :D

[Bob Gray]

Reilly is a rubbish referee, so I'm really not that surprised that big call after big call went ManU's way. Rio doesn't get redcarded for taking Ljundberg down as the last man in the first half, RvN doesn't get sent off for going after Cole in the first half, Rooney dives and admits later on that Campbell didn't touch him, yet Reilly awards a penalty. Just a crying shame that the streak ends in this fashion. I listened to most of the game and even the Manc announcers admitted that Ferdinand got away with one. And I won't even start on the Neville brothers' hooliganism. I was honestly glad that Reyes was subbed for so he wouldn't get injured. Simply rubbish. But going into Old Trafford, that's what everyone knows they'll be up against. :mad:

[Nathan]

*****, *****, *****.

Good lord, you finally lost, 2-0 at OT, and you can't just take it as a loss?

My god, those teams were literally running over each other all over the pitch.

Reilly did a great job maintaining the peace in the first half. Unfortunately, people can't let anything go from last season. Cole and Ljungberg were chippy all day.

Ruud and Rooney did what they had to do, can't blame them for getting the call.

[Bob Gray]

Hey, I'd take it fine if ManU won the game fair and square. All accounts I've read say that ManU created very little all game long, so they mainly won by getting the right calls from Reilly, who has a long history of making favorable calls for ManU, especially at Old Trafford. I'd have no qualms of ManU won it due to their play on the field, but it sure doesn't sound like that was the case today. I've read news accounts that variously indicate that Rio, Neville, and RvN all should have been sent off. One must ask why such sendings off don't occur, now or in past matches (not to mention that ManU get more penalties in the last two games against Arsenal at OT than all visiting teams put together get in the last 5 years at OT!) When will they ever assign a referee to these Arsenal - ManU games at Old Trafford that will have the guts to make calls against the home side? If such a referee exists. Apparently even though SAF's mind games have no effect on Wenger or Arsenal, they still set up the referees quite nicely for the home side.

[Don King]

*****, *****, *****.

Ruud and Rooney did what they had to do, can't blame them for getting the call.

Your team had to blatantly cheat to win. At least two of them should have bans coming up based on video evidence. This doesn't faze you even a little bit? You're not the least bit embarassed?

[Bob Gray]

Your team had to blatantly cheat to win. At least two of them should have bans coming up based on video evidence. This doesn't faze you even a little bit? You're not the least bit embarassed?
That's what happens from too many years of rooting for the evil that is ManU. I've noticed that it's been a good while since Nathan even admitted that SAF is a washed-up loudmouthed egotistical manager whose best ability is to intimidate the press, referees, league officials, and others to his team's advantage.

[Don King]

That's what happens from too many years of rooting for the evil that is ManU. I've noticed that it's been a good while since Nathan even admitted that SAF is a washed-up loudmouthed egotistical manager whose best ability is to intimidate the press, referees, league officials, and others to his team's advantage.

Now, now, Nathan's usally pretty reasonable, and is a good guy to boot. Let's give him a chance to answer this one. :)

[Nathan]

I didn't think any of the bookings were deserving of a straight red. That being said, Rio was lucky he didn't get at least one yellow for dissent at a few points during the match.

Here's the problem as I see it. SAF realizes he has no midfield, and realizes that he's not the guy to lead the squad anymore, but has to do whatever he can to try to get the advantage, so apparently he has decided to try to play the ref.

I hate that, and I hate the fact that

That being said, I thought the United carried play in the first half, and werre lucky to get the call on the Rooney penalty (clearly not a penalty) and een luckier that Alan Smith was much more prroductive than either Ronaldo or RvN.


Ruud deserves a 2 or 3 match ban for the shot on Ashely Cole. Other than that, I didn't think anything else should come up.

Oh, I would've booked Rooney for the dive.

Score should've been 1-0.

[Bob Gray]

Now, now, Nathan's usally pretty reasonable, and is a good guy to boot. Let's give him a chance to answer this one. :)
You're right. I guess it was just momentary ManU dimentia setting in there. I suppose if I was a ManU fan after how bad they've plaid the last year or so, I'd be beside myself to be the team to end Arsenal's record run, regardless of the circumstances.