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Post by coffers on Apr 27, 2006 7:47:34 GMT
I know why that Auckland player became injured Do tell, you've got me intrigued now, or are you suggesting it was purely down to shame?
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Post by coffers on Apr 27, 2006 7:52:03 GMT
The final of th Club World Championship wasn't quite up to the same exiting standard as our semi-final, after all Chivas are a better side than Auckland. Having said that the media still claimed that we hammered the Mexican club comprehensivey even though the final score was 2-0 to us. Goals by De Guzman on 44 and Di Matteo on 76 were enough to ease us to victory. Monteiro missed another penalty on 83. I really do not know what has happened to the way we take penalties of late.
On a side note Santos beat Auckland 3-0 in the 3rd place play-off.
Chelsea in the League Cup Quarter final is our next date with destiny.
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Post by Sonic on Apr 27, 2006 8:33:52 GMT
I know why that Auckland player became injured Do tell, you've got me intrigued now, or are you suggesting it was purely down to shame? Maybe, but I was thinking that it was a smart way of getting out fo a comprehensive hammering, by only playing 37 odd minutes of the game instead and then saying, I did try. No really, I did. See, I got injuryed, and I was playing better than the lot you pantfishes, kind of thing. :cab:
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Post by coffers on Apr 27, 2006 8:51:56 GMT
I had an idea that was what you were getting at, I just wanted to be certain.
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Post by Moo on Apr 27, 2006 12:20:31 GMT
So your shots/goals percentage was less than 50%? Very poor.
:cab:
Ridiculous.
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Post by coffers on Apr 27, 2006 12:25:10 GMT
It was, I'm not quite sure how our goalie got a rating of 9, he had nothing to do other than shout a lot, when we scored, and jump up and down a bit at the same time. I think it was his impersonation of Alan Pardew's silly celebratory dance that did it. Anyhow, 20-0 beats my previous best ever, non-cheaty, score in CM. That was a 16-0 win for Maritimo against a non-league side who had a shed load sent off in the Portuguese Cup. At least in this case Aukland managed to keep eleven players men somethings on the pitch.
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Post by Moo on Apr 27, 2006 14:47:06 GMT
Despite the oppo, it's a great achievement, I've never seen that scoreline before. :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Apr 27, 2006 21:23:07 GMT
As with the other two games against Chelsea this season, this match up proved to be very even and very hard fought. Chelsea opened the scoring on 34 from Bojinov. We found it very difficult finding a way back into the game. The beakthroough came on 77 when Belluschi lashed one in and with exttra time looming Guarin got forward to head in from 4 yards with 3 minutes of extra time left. So we were throough to the semi-final of the League Cup again. Won 2-1. Tottenham at home in the league was next and we strolled to an easy 2-0 win. A goal from Bonera on3 and a 66th minute Guarin penalty sufficed. Hard on the heels of the Tottenham game we had a trip to Preston, an early Belluschi goal on 4 gave us early promise, but we faded badly and inni equalised for Preston on 51. In teh end we were lucky to hold out for a draw, 1-1. Struggling Middlesbrough visited next and we stormed into a 3 goal lead by the 33rd minute. De Guzman strikes on 6 an 14, plus a uarin penalty on 33 did the damage. Yakubu pulled one back on the stroke of half-time, but that was the excitement over for teh game, apart from Diarra etting red carded on 63 for Middlesbrough. A comfortable 3-1 win. The final game of the night was a trip to West Ham. A Monteiro penalty gave us a 5th minute lead. We had started brightly and kept the pressure on. On 35 West Ham had recent signing Vojacek sent off in a last man incident but the free kick was wasted. Whelan struck our second 7 seconds into first half injury time, it was a screamer. eased up a bit in the second half, but West Ham had a second man sent off on 75 for a foul in the area. Monteiro claimed his second penalty of the game to give us a 3-0 lead. On 82 another foul in the area, this time on Papadopoulos allowed Monteiro to claim his hat-trick of penalties and goals. West Ham left the pitch dejected and we left it as 4-0 winners. We've reached the halfway point of our season, though othes are a few games ahead of us.
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Post by DC on Apr 27, 2006 21:52:39 GMT
4 goals conceded and you managed to lose? Shocking Coffs, shocking. I'd sack your defence if I was you.
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Post by Moo on Apr 28, 2006 8:23:45 GMT
What DC said.
:thumb:
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Post by coffers on Apr 28, 2006 8:29:17 GMT
Before the 3rd Round FA Cup Tie at Torquay, Guarin learns that he has been named The European Midfielder of 2011, which is nice for the lad. He doesn't get to celebrate on the pitch though as I name the benchers and normal non-starters for the game. Last time I did that we won 20-0 but Torquay proved a better team than Aukland did. Having said that we strolled to an easy 2-0 win. Goals by Papadopoulos on 39 and Onouha on 61 allowed us to progress to the 4th round.
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Post by Moo on Apr 28, 2006 8:37:23 GMT
Guarin is fantastic. :thumb:
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Post by coffers on Apr 28, 2006 10:35:28 GMT
In the forth round of the FA Cup we are drawn away to Chelsea, they seem to be drawing us like a magnet this season.
The first leg of the League Cup Semi Final at home to Preston follows hard on the heels of the FA Cup game, as this is slightly more important than the last game an almost full strength side is fielded. Preston made things really hard for us and my former goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers is doing great things for my former club. Anyhow, suffice to say they made us work hard for a narrow 1-0 win. The goal came in the 89th minute, a Preston defender tried a bicycle kick Clarence it got as far as substitute Monteiro and he amped it into the net. It's a slender lead to take to Deepdale for the second leg but I hope it will be enough.
Prior to our next league match away to Crystal Palace Freddy Guarin learns that he has been placed 2nd in the European Footballer of the year awards, Thierry Henry was first and Steven Gerrard came third.
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Post by coffers on Apr 28, 2006 16:19:29 GMT
Have the January jitters started? It is a possibility as we travel to Crystal Palace and only manage a 0-0 draw in a dreadfully boring game. Palace set their stall out early on and never deviated from the task of frustration. It worked is all I can say.
In the next game we travel to Liverpool and start badly, Cisse stole in at the back post to net on 5 minutes, how I hate him. It seems I've done a McClaren and started with the wrong tactics as we struggle to get any sort of grip on the game. At the break a major switch is made and we go for it. Liverpool are pounded but do not buckle until the 80th minute when Papadopoulos steals in at the back post and does a Cisse. We should have won in the end but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
A home game against Aston Villa sees us get back on track though once again we started nervously, which necessitated an early change in attitude. Goals from Papadopoulos on 31 and Belluschi on 81 sees us coast to a 2-0 win.
We have a 12 point advantage over second placed Chelsea who have played a game more. 3rd placed Arsenal are a point behind Chelsea and have also played a game more than us.
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Post by Sonic on May 1, 2006 1:31:37 GMT
I'll only say your starting to get jittery when your lead drops into single diggits.
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Post by coffers on May 1, 2006 18:01:23 GMT
The second leg of the League Cup Semi Final was a repeat of the first, hard fought and bloody close, once again we won 1-0, a goal two minutes before the first half break by Ekin settled the game and ensured we progressed to the final on a 2-0 aggregate.
Next came the first of two games at Stamford Bridge, the 4th round of the FA Cup, I was pissed we were awful and Chelsea hammered us 3-0, goals by Bonijov on 10 and 67 sandwiched a 34th minute Lampard belter. Ructions and tantrums were thrown.
Another Brazilian striker, Roger, joined us before transfer deadline day for £5.75M as I start looking to offload Alan. His strength, stamina and fitness levels are a big worry despite his abilities. It's unlikely he will last more than 60 minutes in any game he plays in, plus his lack of aggression and bravery means he doesn't get stuck in enough when it matters. Roberto Di Matteo is sold for a big profit, he is another that has too too long to settle in for my liking, so off he goes to Valencia for £7.5M. Oskitz had been sold to Charlton for £2.3M earlier in the month. Brazilian AMC Tcho will join us on a Bosman from Roma in the summer, he's currently valued at £9M.
In the second battle of Stamford Bridge, this time in the league, it appeared that the thrown ructions an tantrums obviously missed as we lost this one 2-0. Torres on 38 and Perez on 53 kicked any hopes we had, for the game, well into touch. Roger debuted in this game and was injured, he'll miss two to three weeks worth of action.
To stop any rot setting in we needed a win fast and a home game against Portsmouth provided the perfect opportunity. Papadopoulos opened on 20, Portsmouth equalised on 48, but Papadopoulos once again gave us the lead this time on 70. Flood wrapped the game up on 74 to ease us to a 3-1 win.
Then follows an break as we are out of the FA Cup.
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Post by Sonic on May 1, 2006 23:33:39 GMT
A nasty update, and I guess it did happen. Janruary Jitters. I didn't know JJ was back.
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Post by coffers on May 2, 2006 13:45:08 GMT
A home game against Everton further raised the morale stakes as we ran out to an easy 3-1 victory, Croft opened on 35 to give us a 1-0 lead at half time, then two goals in a minute from Charisteas and Papadopoulos on 47 and 48 all but flattened the Pseudo scousers. Everton in the shape of Drogba replied on 65, Monteiro missed another penalty on 68 and the game was over. Manchester United and Mourinho came calling next and we filled their boots; a goal from Guarin o 17 opened the carnival, Rooney replied on 24. I was a bit naffed at the break because we had slaughtered them and were drawing 1-1. Vassell and Ekin put things right on 56 and 71, but bloody Rooney put away another on 83 to make for a tense finish to a match we should have run away with. Still three points from a 3-2 win will have to do for the moment. Despite the recent setbacks we still have a healthy lead at the top of the table: Champions Cup Action next as we travel to Lisbon to face Porto in the 1st round 1st leg of the knockout stages.
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Post by Sonic on May 3, 2006 0:23:12 GMT
I still don't see any real jitters, what with that 12 point difference you've still got. 11 goals conceded after 26 games? Poof
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Post by coffers on May 3, 2006 7:20:20 GMT
Any points loss is a jitter as far as I'm concerned.
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Post by Sonic on May 3, 2006 8:02:55 GMT
:checkit:
Your nerves must be shot then watching 'Boro play if you feel that way about lost points.
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Post by Moo on May 3, 2006 8:17:20 GMT
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Post by coffers on May 9, 2006 23:14:58 GMT
Ah well time to give my fingers a rest from NSS, the ends are going numb with the constant tapping of the arrow keys. Returning to FM and an important eague Cup Final. City have won it twice in a row and I have been manager of the winning side three times in a row. Our opponents are Manchester United. The game itself is another battling performance, both sides up for it but closing each other down quickly. Rooney is ripping us apart in the early stages so Guarin is detailed t6o mark him out of the game, it works and United become less of a threat. The game itself is settled on 76 when Ekin gets on the end of a near post cross by Croft. Just what the doctor ordered. To give them their due United didn't give up, but they were nearly caught a few times on the break as they pressed for an equaliser. Won 1-0 and everyone is made up.
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Post by Sonic on May 10, 2006 0:39:53 GMT
It must be hard for United to be only the second best team in Manchester. Sean would be proud.
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Post by coffers on May 15, 2006 12:03:11 GMT
A post Cup Final hangover set in as West Brom visited us and we made hard work of the game, Ellington caught us on the hop on the stroke of half time and we went in at the break 1-0 down. It was their only on target shot all game. A few ear drums were blown out and we still huffed and puffed through the second half. Substitute Charisteas managed to bag an equaliser with 4 minutes play left. Drew 1-1 and Chelsea won so they got withing 10 points of us, we still have a game in hand though.
The 2nd leg of the 1st knockout round of the Champions Cup was next and Porto came looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit. They started brightly and took the lead from Postiga after only 3 minutes. They held the upper hand for much of the half as our hangover continued. De Guzman finally equalised on 39 after latching onto an Ekin cutback, but our joy didn't last long as Porto took the lead again on 45 from Fonseca. Another blasting and the second half is a bit better, Guarin finally equalised from the spot on 65 and the rest of the game was strolled out. Drew 2-2 but won 4-2 on aggregate.
An away trip to Bolton was next, it was our fifth televised game on the trot. I expected it to be close but we got off to a great start, Guarin notching a penalty after 6 minutes, De Guzman added a second on 35 tapping in a low Vassell cross. Within three minutes Bolton carved our defence apart and Haestad pulled a goal back and we started struggling. We reached the break 2-1 up. Four minutes into the second period and Bolton were down to 10 men as ex-Spurs man Stephen Taylor sees red. This doesn't help us because Bolton pour forward and Haestad equalises on 51. For the rest of the game we struggle against 10 man Bolton, but with time running out, Guarin heads in a Croft free-kick with 91 minutes 49 seconds showing on my watch. Won 3-2.
A home game against Norwich is settled by a Belluschi goal on 37, two minutes after we were reduced to ten men because of the sending off of Agger. The chump thought I was harsh when I fined him 2 weeks wages, this is the same chump who thinks I'm unprofessional when I try to wind up opposing managers and players.
An away trip to Newcastle is next and it's settled in the first half by Roger on 31 and Guarin with a 43rd minute penalty. Roger had returned from a long term injury and grabbed his goal by robbing their keeper 35 yards out and slotting into an empty net. We dominated throughout but couldn't add any more to the tally. Won 2-0.
On to the Champions Cup Quarter Final 1st leg, our opponents were Werder Bremman and we had the honour of playing the 1st leg at home. Werder were still finding their legs when Roger struck the first goal after 6 minutes, it was a carbon copy of his goal against Newcastle. Guarin blasted in a 25 yarder on 13 and Roger added a third on 22, a diving header from a Taylor cross. We dominated for most of the half then but Bremman pulled a goal back from the spot on 45 after Belluschi pushed Frings in the area. On 58, Whelan on for a very poor Belluschi grabbed our 4th, heading in a Roger cross. Three minutes later substitute Charisteas claimed our fifth of the game and his 10th of the season, clipping in a head down by De Guzman. Eduardo pulled a goal back for Bremman on 68 but that was their final say in the game, mind we did nothing more too. Won 5-2.
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