The sanitisation of football

Here’s some intelligent reading for the day, brought to you by Dale Johnson of ESPNsoccernet. And of course it has to be about football!

I’ve learnt a new football term: terracing

Astro Carling Cup Schedule

Shenaniganz gives a warm welcome to first-timers Astro Supersport CH 811, who will be assisting us for the midweek Carling Cup games:

Carling Cup 2007/08
Semi Finals 1st Leg
09 Jan 0340 Chelsea vs Everton Live
10 Jan 0340 Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur Live

The games are at early Wednesday and early Thursday morning respectively for you football crazy folks in Malaysia! I’ll prolly be up for the North London derby, seeing that Thursday is a national holiday…

FYI:

Semi Finals 2nd Leg
23 Jan 0355 Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal Live
24 Jan 0355 Everton vs Chelsea Live

Astro FA Cup Schedule

Astro Starsports CH 813 will be giving us an assist for this weekend’s fixtures:

FA Cup 2007/08 (LIVE)
05 Jan 2008 2255 Round 3
06 Jan 2008 0110 Aston Villa vs Manchester United
06 Jan 2008 2155 Burnley vs Arsenal
07 Jan 2008 0000 Luton Town vs Liverpool
07 Jan 2008 0200 Stoke City vs Newcastle United

Astro’s vague schedule leaves me to wonder what game they will be showing for the 5th Jan 11pm slot on ESPN (CH 812) and Starsports (CH 813).

Answer: Tottenham Hotspurs vs. Reading (there’s a 99% chance that this will be the game )

Our Week 13 Game Predictions are Out!

Cantona Kickem’s Predictions VS Small Potato’s Predictions

As you can see, we generally share the same predictions except one – the Newcastle vs Liverpool game – as Gerrard and Crouchie, still reeling from England’s Euro 2008 disaster, won’t be much of a factor. Added to that, I am still not convinced of Rafa Benitez long-term future in Liverpool.

Expect Allardyce yet again trying hard to prove his England Manager credentials to the FA, although I think he’s too old school for consideration. A cultured, yet tough-as-nails foreigner like Mourinho is a better bet for an England team accused by the media of having overpaid millionaires.

EPL Fixtures

Sorry folks, the YFF EPL Guide for Week 12 has gone AWOL. But I’m here to present this week’s EPL fixtures for your viewing pleasure (Astro schedules only!)

Saturday, 10th November 2007

Sunderland vs Newcastle [Live on ESPN CH 812: 8.45pm Malaysian time]
Tyne-Wear Derby is looking to be a cracker. I’m looking at a draw. Kenwyne Jones to get back on the scoresheet?

Derby County vs West Ham [Live on ESPN CH 812: 11.00pm Malaysian time]
Not gonna be easy for the Hammers. Carlton Cole is my bargain pick of the week (please score…)

Liverpool vs Fulham [Live on Starsports CH 813: 1.15am Malaysian time]
Liverpool. Easier than most would think.

Sunday, 11th November 2007

Birmingham vs Aston Villa [Live on ESPN CH 812: 9.00pm Malaysian time]
Birmingham blunted with injuries. Villa win

Chelsea vs Everton [Live on Starsports CH 813: 10.00pm Malaysian time]
Chelsea – title contenders again?

Manchester United vs Blackburn [Live on ESPN CH 812: 11.00pm Malaysian time]
Red Devils with the W

Portsmouth vs Manchester City [Live on Starsports CH 813: 12.00am Malaysian time]
Battle for Europe begins. Pompey looking the better of the two…

Early Monday morning, 12th November 2007

Reading vs Arsenal [Live on ESPN CH 812: 4.00am Malaysian time]
I’ve got Hleb and Adebayor for the weekend fixtures. No prizes for knowing who I think is gonna win.

Midweek news

Hot of the soccernet press: Berbs is free to go in the January transfer window if he wants to. Wowee…when will his projected move to Manchester United happen?

But as I’m writing this blog, BBC doesn’t agree.

Meanwhile, Wigan chairman David Whelan has revealed that former boss Paul Jewell would “absolutely” be his first choice to fill the vacancy at JJB Stadium. Looks like Paulie wants to be in the heat of the relegation scrap again. Feel-good story of the week?

On to some Fantasy Football related news:

Petr Cech has been ruled out of Chelsea’s home clash against Everton this Sunday at 10pm Malaysian time. Calf injury. If you haven’t picked up Scott Carson before his massive 2.51 rise in value, you’ve got Carlo Cudicini to consider as the BARGAIN OF THE WEEK at 6.94.

Latest transfers on my squad:

Adebayor, Carlton Cole, Zat Knight and Ian Harte

On the UEFA Champions League front, the top English teams keep clean sheets and more. Chelsea and Arsenal both settle for stalemates against Schalke and Slavia Prague respectively, whilst the Red Devils and Liverpool register resounding wins. Are you daring enough to pick Benayoun or Torres for the Pool’s game against Fulham? Game Predictions and the Week 12 EPL Fantasy Football Preview to follow….

The Final Changes

First order on the Final Changes:

I’ve just completed my 12.08 million transfer of Kenwyne Jones with a little less than 5 hours till the selection deadline [Filled roster slots will lock down and be uneditable from 3 Nov 8:00PM Malaysian time].

Sure, he has been a lot of hype. The matchup isn’t that great either (away at Maine Road and Man City advocates are licking their chops). NEVERTHELESS, Kenwyne has proven himself the better of the Tall Strong African Target men at the Emirates stadium, so I’m taking a leap of faith by dropping Martin Petrov (9.86) and…

… REVERTING to 3-4-3.

English Gloom

OK folks, a few things I am gonna spew at cha … and it concerns all sporting matters relating to the English.

For those without the well-awares, I just want to take the opportunity to fill your brain with the fact that this October month is indeed a losing month for the England sporting world. Let me list it down for you …

1. England outplayed by Russia. O-U-T-played, y’all …

It started off with the England national team losing their qualifying round to the Russians — Macca getting his tactics wrong once again — and now the so-called best crop of English talents are staring at the possibility of being Euro 2008 no-shows. Don’t get me wrong, … I am not particularly fond of their style of play at the moment but a European Championship without the likes of Rooney and Co. is like having a party without P.Diddy and bling-bling and hip-hop groupies, y’know? OK, you are right, smokie … maybe I am getting ahead of myself … anyway, here is the video link.

2. Which leads me to the England Rugby Team …

They got in the World Cup final but couldn’t possibly pull off anything winnable against a better team in the form of South Africa — who remember, did give them a more intense ass-whuppin’ some couple months ago. Yet another heartbreak for English sport fans. Lesson learnt, boys.

3. Lewis Hamilton’s F1 hopes dashed …

At least it wasn’t Alonso winning, that would be a bitter pill for Hamilton fans to swallow. Nonetheless, we didn’t get to see an F1 crown on a driver representing the Union Jack.

OK, I am gonna check out of here. Until the next English heartbreak.

England vs Russia 1-2 – The Video!

It’s not the best of quality, and gets worse after the Rooney clip, but it’s the best out there thus far. Will update this post once there’s a better video!

Latino Salsa

Riquelme (Argentina vs Chile)

Sorry folks, no England vs Russia highlights video yet. But I’ve got some recent (and awesome) freekick videos -> read on!

In case you don’t know it already, England lost 1-2 and are on their way out of the reckoning for a spot in EURO 2008. Boo hoo England fans…it sucks but it’s reality. England made it their Group of Death, and need to find some flair (Joe Cole is the best they’ve got at the moment) in order to be genuine Championship contenders.

Other notable results:

Georgia whoops the Scottish 2-0
Darren Fletcher started and played the whole game. But it’s not as though I’m scouting him for Red Devils’ weekend game against Villa. Italy and France get my vote as favourites to go through the ACTUAL group of death.