108.1, with 0.8 in the bank. back in the top 15. feeling good.
posted by garfield at 09:31 AM on November 23, 2004
Dammit. So they took Hitzlsperger's assist away from yesterday? I coulda moved up two more slots.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:37 AM on November 23, 2004
wow. I can't believe that I stayed in 3rd after spending all those points on transfers last week. I would have been better off keeping my two injured forwards and not taken the 8 point hit. As much as I hated the 'pool-'boro game, it sure helped my points standings.
posted by sauril at 10:20 AM on November 23, 2004
Ooh, I am now in the top 50 amongst Peruvians, though. Ole!
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:42 AM on November 23, 2004
My freefall continues, and I'm not sure where to begin! At least I'm hanging on in the top 10
posted by trox at 10:59 AM on November 23, 2004
25th among players from Vanuatu
posted by garfield at 11:18 AM on November 23, 2004
I dropped to 21! I thought my dropping days were over...
posted by StarFucker at 12:10 PM on November 23, 2004
FOURTH! My attack on #3 is gathering steam ... The sacrifice transfer for Robben was inspired. Thank you, Downing and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Let's see if my rise continues this Turkey weekend. Watch out, sauril!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:17 PM on November 23, 2004
How the hell did Shaun Wright-Philips not get a 3 point bonus this week? All the commentators were raving about him. Bias!
posted by salmacis at 12:33 PM on November 23, 2004
good trade for robben, wc, but you realize that while he got you 8 points this week, swp and downing combined for 17...
posted by sauril at 12:53 PM on November 23, 2004
Not a bad week for me. I always think if you can beat 50 points you're doing OK. Oh btw, faux-Scousers - Luis Garcia just limped off with a hamstring injury vs Monaco. It never rains but it pours. Hehe.
posted by squealy at 02:04 PM on November 23, 2004
I had Robben, SWP and Downing. Thank you very much. Oh yes. My only "mistake" was not making one of those guys captain. And too bad Henry and Reyes continued their recent slumps.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:06 PM on November 23, 2004
btw, Bog Bandits, Birmingham is only 3 points from last place. Hoohoohoo.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:09 PM on November 23, 2004
Will Davies emerge from behind Pedersen's early campaign success?
posted by garfield at 02:09 PM on November 23, 2004
one way for Henry to break out of his slump would be for me to make somebody else the captain. because as soon as I do that Henry will get a hat trick and two assists in a shutout win.
posted by gspm at 02:18 PM on November 23, 2004
Yeah wc2002, and Liverpoo are already 11 points behind second-place Arsenal. Your season is over, at least we have a relegation battle to look forward to. :-P
posted by squealy at 02:18 PM on November 23, 2004
Of course it makes no difference to Henry's points score if Arsenal keep a clean sheet. [/smartarse] It's nice to see you considering making the ultimate sacrifice for your SpoFi buddies gspm. I've always liked you.
posted by squealy at 02:22 PM on November 23, 2004
at least we have a relegation battle to look forward to. :-P Ha, squealy. Always the optimist. Well, Liverpool is always aiming high. I think we can make fourth if we really try.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:56 PM on November 23, 2004
4th again?! Is that our goal?! I thought Houllier left?
posted by StarFucker at 02:58 PM on November 23, 2004
Traore off for Kewell... Liverpool down 1 - 0...early second half. Saviola with the goal.
posted by StarFucker at 03:16 PM on November 23, 2004
4th again?! Is that our goal?! I thought Houllier left? SF, I'm being facetious. But Liverpool are too way behind to really hope for 1 or 2. And with the current striker situation, I don't feel that hopeful. I do however like Benitez. He's got high expectations, plays players where they should be played, and doesn't make silly excuses when they lose. He even seems dissatisfied when they win, which is a good thing. Too bad about the current batch of players and injuries. Gotta make some good trades in the January window. Kewell is a plonker, and I think Josemi has been a bit of a disappointment. I'm interested in seeing what Nunez can do. And we still need a defender (or two) and a striker.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:33 PM on November 23, 2004
Feckin' Monaco.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:34 PM on November 23, 2004
ahhh wc, I thought you meant you got rid of swp and downing for robben. and I agree 100% with what you said about Liverpool.
posted by sauril at 03:43 PM on November 23, 2004
WC2002, if we go down I will always be able to claim that I predicted it pre season, which I did; however, I now predict a rapid climb up the table, similar to the one my Headmen are producing. Don't forget to give me a cheery wave as we bypass each other.
posted by Fat Buddha at 03:46 PM on November 23, 2004
That will be unlikely. My cunning plan is finally coming together. I've moved up two places in two weeks. If I keep this up, I'll be in first place before Christmas. But nice score this week, FB. That's the kind of score I really need to make a big push.
posted by worldcup2002 at 11:04 PM on November 23, 2004
Shite fantasy week for me, but a super Sunday for Liverpool! Go Reds!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:32 PM on November 28, 2004
Can't wait to see the Reds win when FSW show it Wednesday.
posted by billsaysthis at 03:39 PM on November 28, 2004
good thing it was a win then. I'd hate to think you'd be waiting three days to watch your team lose. sounds like two great Liverpool goals if the recap is to be believed.
posted by gspm at 08:24 PM on November 28, 2004
Guardian match report:
Gerrard, however, was not to allow Arsenal respite. He showed coolness and perception in an opener, after 41 minutes, that demonstrated the cumulative force of this Liverpool side. It began with the snap of Dietmar Hamann's tackle on Robert Pires and gathered momentum with Steve Finnan's diagonal ball to the left wing. Harry Kewell, generally tortured by his utter lack of form, headed inside to Gerrard. As the dogged, self-sacrificing Mellor made a run that pulled Sol Campbell away, the Liverpool captain rolled an impeccably delayed pass, while seeming barely to look at the recipient, and set up Xavi Alonso on the edge of the penalty area. His drive tore high past Jens Lehmann.Yes.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:57 AM on November 29, 2004
that ball was on a frozen rope.
posted by garfield at 08:22 AM on November 29, 2004
Liverpool well deserved the whole three points yesterday, and all three goals scored in the match were real corkers.
posted by trox at 09:18 AM on November 29, 2004
SoccerNet's Insider was at the game and had this report on Harry the Passenger. But Nunez was able to play the last 20, so maybe we'll get to take his measure soon.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:41 PM on November 29, 2004
garfield: that ball was on a frozen rope. I've never heard that one before. What does it mean?
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:01 PM on November 29, 2004
uh, it might be a lacrosse term. not sure. but re: alonso's goal, the ball's path was that of a frozen rope.
posted by garfield at 01:09 PM on November 29, 2004
I think it may come from baseball though I can't be sure... A liner, line-drive, ball struck with great speed and little arc.
posted by 86 at 01:26 PM on November 29, 2004
86 nailed the definition of frozen rope. Something traveling straight, very hard, and for distance. I think both Liverpool goals qualify.
posted by trox at 01:32 PM on November 29, 2004
A bad definition. What does it mean? An explanation of a term's meaning which utilizes said term. thanks for rushing to the net and stuffing home the rebound, 86...and trox, thanks for the analysis. I should be benched. Or at least forced to run laps. or something.
posted by garfield at 01:57 PM on November 29, 2004
some videos of the goals... http://ronaldo7.footballclips.net/Scoringer-Goals-04-05/England/Premier%20League/November/Uke%204/Liverpool%20-%20%22Immortals%22/ Don't spread it around too much
posted by sauril at 02:12 PM on November 29, 2004
oh sweeeeet. Thanks, sauril!
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:41 PM on November 29, 2004
oh, turflucken! I can't see it coz I don't have some codec. crap! And MS tells me I have the latest WMP, and don't need to do any updates. All I can do is listen to the video. Graaargh.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:55 PM on November 29, 2004
Hey what happened to the virtual goal view thingy on the BBC website. It would definitely give you a feel of all three goals (and all should included), but it seems to have disappeared!
posted by trox at 03:23 PM on November 29, 2004
Gotit! Needed to download DivX. Bloody hell, that Alonso goal was pure beauty. That's the way football should be played. One touch, weighted passes, nobody skips a beat, and one final glorious searing drive to the top corner. Frickin' sex on a stick! Finnan's crossfield diagonal pass, Kewell's cushioned header into Gerrard's path, Mellor's diagonal run across the center of the box to open a yawning gap in the middle, Gerrard's holding up play for just a moment, and the inch-perfect pass rolled with the outside of his right foot, and Alonso raging in from feckin' nowhere to rocket a rising shot into the net. Just frickin' classic Liverpool play that we haven't been seeing enough of. And give Mellor a first team place, he has no fear.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:29 PM on November 29, 2004
He has no talent either, so he's a cinch for the Liverpool first-team.
posted by squealy at 03:55 PM on November 29, 2004
You really need to see the single Arsenal goal as well--it was a thing of beauty. Very different from Alonso's but so so very Arsenal at their best (three passes in the box). Bleh, of course it was the only 30 seconds that they looked anything looked like the Arsenal from the early season. And that has as much to do with Liverpool's defence yesterday as anything else--they were everywhere: marking, tackling cleanly, generally obstructing, and never giving up. Again, a well-deserved three points.
posted by trox at 03:58 PM on November 29, 2004
trox, as always the gracious one. squealy, I see Birmingham is 9 points behind Liverpool, with one more game played. How's Heskey?
posted by worldcup2002 at 04:54 PM on November 29, 2004
He's shit, but you knew that already. We're hopeless and stand a fair chance of being relegated, but we've been hopeless for so many years it's not like I'm not used to it. Gracious? Oh OK. It was a great goal but it wasn't "classic Liverpool play" it was just classic football. I was applauding it in the pub (silly, I know). On an FFL note I would like to recommend that all my closest competitors purchase Jermain Defoe forthwith if not sooner.
posted by squealy at 05:06 PM on November 29, 2004
And El-Hadji Diouf. Get in there while they're hot.
posted by squealy at 05:35 PM on November 29, 2004
And Heskey. No horsing around.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:34 PM on November 29, 2004
dear internets. video clips of EPL goals available online on monday is TEH SHTI. please do that more. i don't want to be too clueless for somebody STILL in 2nd place in the pool, but lemme guess, Defoe, Diouf and Heskey are duds? injured(?), in some trouble for spitting (suspended?) and just plain crap (crap?).
posted by gspm at 08:19 PM on November 29, 2004
No, no, no. Defoe, Diouf and Heskey are sweeeet. And by sweeeet, I mean totally awesome. And by totally awesome, I think they'd be worth sacrificing 12 points just to BUY THEM RIGHT NOW!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:52 AM on November 30, 2004
Where's Calmy with this week's update then? And don't think about posting it here, either. Start a new thread!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:59 AM on November 30, 2004
your wish is my command worldcup.
posted by BigCalm at 10:03 AM on November 30, 2004
just an extra thanks to sauril for the video hookup. i really wanted to see the Kanu howler from a few weeks back and it only occurred to me TODAY that it might be on that site. and it was (up a few directories and filed under "funny"). and, given the circumstances of the play, that had to be one of the worst misses I have ever seen.
posted by gspm at 03:17 PM on December 04, 2004
well, it's turning out to be a good weekend. Probably my best choice of the season, making Lampard captain this week. Finally.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:19 PM on December 04, 2004
On a serious note ... Calmy, I hope your recovery from the appendectomy is going ok. Weekly updates be damned.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:23 PM on December 04, 2004
I was inspired enough to take the captaincy off Lampard and give it to Rooney, at a net cost of 12 points.
posted by Fat Buddha at 06:37 AM on December 05, 2004
I took it off Lampard and gave it to Henry. Probably the first time I've ever cheered a goal against the Blues. I am thoroughly ashamed of myself. You're not thinking straight FB, it's only 6 points. I shall demonstrate for your edification. Lampard (C) 30 + Rooney 9 = 39 Lampard 15 + Rooney (C) 18 = 33 *Bows*
posted by squealy at 09:17 AM on December 05, 2004
I wish you had both given the captaincy to Heskey.
posted by worldcup2002 at 06:07 PM on December 05, 2004
I realize my comment 6 back may have prompted some more action in this thread... but why not in the more recent EPL pool thread? shucks, ya didn't have to come and keep me company. I have determined that sauril will gain on me this week one Zenden worth given that he is the difference between our teams on the yet to be played Monday night game. Of course, I'll gain on Big Calm 4 points less than a combined SWP and Downing performance. So, presuming those two can collectively accumulate more than 4 points tonight then the softly softly march upwards continues.
posted by gspm at 07:01 AM on December 06, 2004
posted by BigCalm at 08:52 AM on November 23, 2004