Does this mean Ken Barlow isn’t getting married again either this year ?
Leicester City were about as impressive of a title winner as anybody in English League history given where they had come from and the little money they spent.
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Bruideann curtain was the only one who thought that as a wind up. I think the vast majority of people had them finishing second or third.
Gary Neville had them down to finish 5th and Ken Early didn’t include them in his top 4 either. I think most knowledgable followers would’ve had them down for 3rd, behind Man City and Arsenal.
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Yea and absolutely nobody would have predicted how bad city would be. It’s not all that surprising where they are in fairness. They’ve a very good squad and were flying most of last year.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a side as good at pressing & counter-pressing as Liverpool under Klopp & continuing with Slot.
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They were top with 7 games to go last season and haven’t lost any players .
It’s not a surprise really. The gap and the falling off of City and Arsenal makes it a bit more special looking perhaps. Darwin lad probably cost them 8 points last season too
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Contenders to sign Darwin Nunez:
1 Atletico Madrid
2 Inter Milan
Ends
Dortmund have scored two second half goals at Lille & now lead 3-2 on aggregate having been 1-0 down on the night at half time. Heading for the last 10 minutes now.
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Lille have missed a few chances to equalise since. When you consider Villa v Bruges is another tie tonight you’d wonder what the value is having two of Liverpool/psg/real/Atleti going out
Please explain the difference mate
Athleti lead after 30 seconds
Cork’s Conor Gallagher
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Too soon
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Let me introduce you to ChatGPT:
“Explain the difference between pressing & counter-pressing in football in the writing style of Irish sports journalist Roy Curtis.”
Pressing and counter-pressing in football are akin to the relentless tides that shape the rugged Irish coastline—each a force of nature, distinct yet intertwined, sculpting the very essence of the beautiful game.
Pressing is the proactive art of aggression, a team’s calculated decision to engage the opposition high up the pitch, suffocating their attempts to build play from the back. It’s a strategy that demands unity, with players moving in synchronized patterns, like a well-rehearsed Riverdance troupe, cutting off passing lanes and forcing errors. The objective is clear: regain possession in advanced areas to launch immediate attacks, turning defense into a springboard for offense.
Counter-pressing, or “gegenpressing” as it’s known in the Teutonic footballing lexicon, is the immediate response to losing possession. Instead of retreating, the team collectively surges forward to reclaim the ball, aiming to exploit the opposition’s disarray during transitions. It’s a tactic that requires supreme fitness and mental sharpness, akin to a pack of wolves instinctively pouncing back on their prey the moment it slips from their grasp.
In essence, while pressing is a premeditated strategy to disrupt the opponent’s buildup, counter-pressing is a reactive measure, a swift riposte to losing the ball, aiming to regain control before the adversary can mount their assault. Both are integral to modern football’s high-octane narrative, demanding cohesion, tenacity, and an unyielding will to dominate the pitch.
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I don’t watch any football, but after Jude Bellingham’s early burst with Real Madrid where he scored something like 17 goals in 13 games and it appeared he was going to be a hybrid of the best of Xavi, Andres Iniesta Zinedine Zidane and Steven Gerrard, it would seem to me he’s been largely shite. I’m judging this entirely off the comments of RTE colour commentators on matches I’m not watching but have on in the background, and INTERNET commenters. I haven’t watched any of this match but have had it on in the background since the end of Nationwide on RTE 1 +1 and it would appear it is the case again that he’s playing shite.
Bellingham is very good at football but is it possible he’s not very good at playing in actual football matches and will get a discounted yet still very expensive move to Arsenal in 2026?
Exactly, that’s why I said they were more impressive than this Liverpool team.
He is more a Thomas Muller type that roams into excellent positions than a playmaking number ten. He made a super run around the back there but his own man got in his way. As long as he continues to be clutch he’ll be okay, but you’re right, stylistically he’s not a Real type.
81 points, the lowest winning points total in the last 27 years, in one of the poorest quality league seasons in history. Lolz.
You’re trying too hard buddy.
Alverez is like a young Luis Suarez here