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Talking Sport
Thought it might be worth having a "General" Sports thread to discuss what's gone off in recent days, maybe have a chunter, dole out praise where due & generally ruminate.
I'll try & get us started, but hopefully others will chip in.
We'll give it a week or two to see how it goes, if we get good numbers we'll continue, if not, it'll be a red card job.
Comments
As I mentioned "chip in", anyone see Sergio Garcia trash a bunker last week?
For a Major winner, we are entitled to expect better. To rub salt in the wound, he was being paid a $1 million appearance fee, just for turning up.
He got himself disqualified for that tantrum, & quite right too. A lesser player would have copped a 3 month ban, for sure.
He has form for it, too - this was 5 years ago;
Golf is a game where we expect players to behave with a modicum of dignity. Get out of here Garcia.
Under Wenger : 2015/2016 Defence
Clean sheets 18
Goals conceded 36
Goals conceded per match 0.95
2016/2017 Defence
Clean sheets 13
Goals conceded 44
Goals conceded per match 1.16
2017/2018 Defence
Clean sheets 13
Goals conceded 51
Goals conceded per match 1.34
And 2018/2019 after 25 games with Emery
Clean sheets 4
Goals conceded 36
Goals conceded per match 1.44
Discuss. imo his first priority should have been to address the defensive frailities ...lichtsteiner has been abysmal as has Leno in goal.
I actually don't mind if they are a bit leaky at the back, just so long as they score more at the other end.
This week's televised snooker is the so-called "World Grand Prix" from Cheltenham Racecourse of all places, sponsored by Coral Bookmakers.
I adore snooker, & it's made for TV. Plus the players & audience (for the most part) behave respectfully, declare their own fouls, don't argue with the ref, & dress properly. All good.
Audiences are a little irritating, always applauding flukes & even more annoying, giving huge cheers when a plant is potted. Why? A natural plant is the easiest shot in the book, it's (almost) unmissable, you or me could pot it.
My snooker gripe this week though is this so called "World Grand Prix". No snooker tournament which is mainly best of 7 should ever have "World" in the title. "Mid Gloucestershire" would be more appropriate.
Get out of here Coral.
A lack-lustre set of FA Cup 4th round replays last night, and those who backed Boro at odds on are entitled to feel disgruntled, as Boro were never "off".
Presumably they had one eye - or even two eyes - on this weekend's clash with Leeds United.
Which is a good time to mention one of the most interesting results of the weekend in the Champo;
Leeds United 1, Norwich City 3.
The Bielsa bubble well & truly burst, huh?The FA Cup still has it's moments, though it's but a shadow of its former self these days, as the big teams "prioritise" other competitions.
One thing which really gets my goat with the FA Cup is the lazy way the media report on it. I've been watching the FA Cup every year for over 60 years, & TV & the Media generally roll out the same old hackneyed phrases year after year.
Magic of the FA Cup
Giant Killers
Underdogs
Minnows
Romance of the FA Cup.
Wembley's hallowed turf
Bleurgh. Get outa here with your cliches & lazy journalism.
Tonight's televised football fayre is Everton v Man City.
I think City have got over that bad spell & ought to win this comfortably.
I even considered backing them tonight, but 2/7 - away from home - is way too short for my liking.
If you like a gamble though, Everton, the home side, can be backed at 10/1 or more, with the draw 5/1.
10/1? At home, & 9th in the table? Pretty sure that must be value.
As a Liverpool fan, have to hope you are right so Everton to win 2-1 @ 33-1...done!
Not a big bet, just a gesture to try to keep Silva in a job!
The defence needed sorting out long before Wenger left,the last decent defensive signing was Sol Campbell in 2001,which is shocking. Since then it's just been mediocre signings. Wenger continuously ignored the defensive capabilities,whilst signing midfielders and strikers that were not a priority. It's going to take Emery much more than the time he's been there to sort the mess out. But with the boards attitude to transfers I don't see it happening any time soon,just more of the same second rate signings.
The defence needed sorting out long before Wenger left,the last decent defender signing was Sol Campbell in 2001,which is shocking. Since then it's just been mediocre signings. Wenger continuously ignored the defensive capabilities,whilst signing midfielders and strikers that were not a priority. It's going to take Emery much more than the time he's been there to sort the mess out. But with the boards attitude to transfers I don't see it happening any time soon,just more of the same second rate signings.
Generally agree , but you can't not class Koscielny as a " decent " defender signed in 2010
I see him as the best of a bad bunch,he makes too many mistakes for my liking,whether that's down to his own ability or playing in that defence is open to debate.
In fact, tonight's televised game is WBA v Brighton.
Oh joy, deep, deep, joy.
There's always the snooker I guess.
Koscielny is an excellent defender. However, he is 33 and starting to look injury-prone.
There have certainly been some positives for Arsenal recently. The attack looks strong, albeit that Aubameyang and Lacazette look a little too similar. Torreira and Guendouzi look like the best central midfield pair for you since Viera/Pettit.
When you bought Cech, that was surely to buy you time to get a long-term replacement. Leno? He not only looks worse than Ospina, he looks worse than Lukasz Flappy-Handski.
The defence looks porous-Bellerin looks good but (apparently) wants to leave. The other full-backs are not Arsenal quality. The centre halves look decidedly iffy (Koscielny apart). The wide midfielders are not yet good enough, though Iwobi and Maitland-Niles show promise. How can you not be willing to afford Ramsey's wages when you are paying Ozil (a good player, but being paid as though he is a great one), Mkhitaryan and Wellbeck?
Arsenal may have problems, but look at Liverpool and the difference a good centre half and keeper has made there.
"When you bought Cech, that was surely to buy you time to get a long-term replacement. Leno? He not only looks worse than Ospina, he looks worse than Lukasz Flappy-Handski."
Odd you mention him, he certainly used to be a liability. You watched him lately? He's like a new man, playing superbly for West Ham. Quite unusual for a 'Keeper to improve so at that stage of his career, they usually go the other way. (See Joe Hart, for example).
As a general rule, fans never rate players as "ok" - they are always "useless" or "best in the world". The truth is somewhere between those extremes.
The former club of Emiliano Sala are demanding his transfer fee after the striker’s tragic disappearance, according to reports.
Nantes, who play in France’s top division, sold Sala to Premier League strugglers Cardiff in January for a fee reported to be £15million – although the fee is reported to be spread out over three years.
https://uk.yahoo.com/sports/news/emiliano-sala-french-club-nantes-demand-transfer-fee-cardiff-154952435.html
British runner Susannah Gill has won the women's World Marathon Challenge after completing seven marathons across seven continents in seven days.
Gill ran the gruelling 183 miles (295km) in a world record time of 22 hours 50 minutes 42 seconds, burning up to 5,000 calories a day.
The 34-year-old ran the final race in Miami on Wednesday night in 3:26:24.
"It was a crazy ambition that I wanted to do. The challenge seemed absolutely irresistible to me," she told the BBC.
"Ten years ago, I just wanted to get fit and run the London Marathon. Now, marathon running has literally taken me around the world."
Over the past decade she has completed 45 marathons, including 10 London Marathons, with a fastest time of 2 hours 58 minutes.
American Mike Wardian won the men's title after completing the final marathon in Miami in 2:53:03 for a total time of 17:56:27 for the seven races
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/47154857