Football 2013-2014

[The Nal]

Is the new England kit really 90 quid?!

[LondonTom]

Is the new England kit really 90 quid?!

[t8yman]

It's not 90 home 60 away, it's 90 for the shirt the players wear and 60 for a budget version.

Anyone who pays £90 for a football shirt that isn't signed by a full team or whatever as a collectors item is a fucking mug IMHO.

[zahidf]

So, score predictions for tonight?

I reckon Man Utd will nick a victory, 2-1.

Barcelon will beat Atheltico 4-2

'Manchester United do not see themselves as "underdogs" for Tuesday's Champions League home match with holders Bayern Munich, says player-coach Ryan Giggs.

And ahead of the quarter-final first leg, the 40-year-old insists United believe they can win the competition.

"Of course it is possible," the midfielder said. "You need to play well, to get that little bit of luck."'

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26823737

Edited April 1, 2014 by zahidf

[DomDom1984]

"I reckon Man Utd will nick a victory"

Decent April Fools there mate.

Also, Atletico conceding four against Barcelona? Just as unlikely if you ask me. They have drawn in their last three games.

[LondonTom]

It's not 90 home 60 away, it's 90 for the shirt the players wear and 60 for a budget version.

Anyone who pays £90 for a football shirt that isn't signed by a full team or whatever as a collectors item is a fucking mug IMHO.

Edited April 1, 2014 by LondonTom

[The Nal]

Utd beating Bayern? Bayern beat Barca 7 nil on aggregate last year. And they're better this year.

[pink_triangle]

Bayern and psg are in a position where they can pretty much ignore the league and focus purely on the champions league, this could give both a big advantage.

[The Nal]

Bayern and psg are in a position where they can pretty much ignore the league and focus purely on the champions league, this could give both a big advantage.

[pink_triangle]

Bayern being light years ahead of the team they're playing also helps!

[TheGayTent]

How much money have Sunderland spent on unsuccessful strikers?

Wickham

Scocco

Fletcher

Altidore

Graham

[TheGayTent]

All the talk of Poyet being a good appointment - Sunderland are down aren't they?

[eFestivals]

All the talk of Poyet being a good appointment - Sunderland are down aren't they?

looks like it.

To be fair to him, he definitely perked up their playing, and their play has often looked a lot better than some of the other lowly teams. But I guess you can only polish a turd so much.

I'm quite surprised to see that it's stoke who are the first to break away from the bottom and hit 40 points.

[TheGayTent]

I'm quite surprised to see that it's stoke who are the first to break away from the bottom and hit 40 points.

[TheGayTent]

I suspect pt likes sparky?

[DomDom1984]

Aye, I don't like Mark Hughes very much, but he generally does a decent job. I'm not particularly surprised to see him do well at Stoke.

[zahidf]

Biggest surprise seems to be Crystal Palace pulling away to safety, after looking so dire earlier in the season.

I think Tony Pullis has pretty much made his career if that happens. He will be the 'relegation saver' from now on!

Fulham, Cardiff and Sunderland seem doomed.

[kaosmark2]

I think Hughes' is not as highly thought of as he should be. Did a decent job with Wales, Blackburn, and Fulham. Doing a decent job at Stoke. Failed at QPR, but think that's as much to do with the board as it was with him - old saggy face didn't/isn't doing any better. Probably a question mark over his time at Citeh - he definitely improved them, but whether as much or as quickly as they should have improved given the resources at his disposal is debatable.

Certainly think Hughes is better than quite a few other Premier League managers.

[TheGayTent]

Hodgson led Fulham to 7th and 12th in the league. Hughes got them to 8th.

If Hughes is looked down upon because of that I find it a bit strange - certainly most Fulham fans would take 8th now...?!

I guess Hodgson was judged on his European performances.

Reckon Hughes did a better job at Craven Cottage than any of his 3 successors.

[kaosmark2]

Hodgson led Fulham to 7th and 12th in the league. Hughes got them to 8th.

If Hughes is looked down upon because of that I find it a bit strange - certainly most Fulham fans would take 8th now...?!

I guess Hodgson was judged on his European performances.

Reckon Hughes did a better job at Craven Cottage than any of his 3 successors.

[TheGayTent]

12th + Europa final is a better season than 8th though. I think he was looked down on at the time (and with his sudden departure), rather than retrospectively.

[kaosmark2]

Agreed, but it doesn't make 8th bad. 8th must be one of Fulham's highest finishes in their history?

[DomDom1984]

I really hope Bayern turn up at their best tonight. The tie could be over in 45 minutes if they do. Football Weekly seemed to think they're capable of it, but that they won't do that. I beg to differ. I reckon they'll want to kill the tie stone dead if it's possible and they must surely know it is.

The real intrigue is in the other game tonight, with Barcelona and Atletico drawing their previous meetings this season.

[pink_triangle]

I suspect pt likes sparky?

Edited April 1, 2014 by pink_triangle

[DomDom1984]

Bayern have turned up far from their best. Man United did a good job of pressuring them early doors and that was vital. But then they moved back, and when Bayern started dominating, their final ball was just dreadful. It's beginning to remind me of the Scotland games against France when we won 1-0.