Live Thuggery

Watched Everton vs Dinamo Bucharest EURO cup live at 80 last night. With Everton being down 1-5 from the 1st leg, and playing home, I reckoned it would be a good match to watch. And indeed it was. Everton threw everything forward from the word go, which opened up for exciting counter-attacking moves from the Romanians.

And then there was probably one of the most blatant, uncivilised, barbaric, savage foul on the pitch that I have ever remember witnessed during live matches.

On the dot of full-time, when the romanians were all home and dry, Everton launched another one of their hopeful long-balls in the middle of the park. Arteta went up to head the ball, got it, when suddenly, out-of-nowhere, this guy Plesan came charging from the back, full-pelted with his shoulder (and maybe elbow too) and knocked poor Arteta mid-air and left him in a heap. It was late, and there was no way that Plesan could have gotten the ball. I mean, come-on, it was absolutely unnecessary for a foul like that and also, given that the Romanians were already 5-2 up with literally seconds to go. It was not a 50-50 challenge (more like 90-10) and if it was not on a pitch, it would have been considered a pre-meditated assault with intent. It was also right smack in the middle of the field and even if Arteta have won the header, there was never any chance that it can cause any sort of trouble to the Romanian goal.

The next 10 minutes-or-so was quite hard to stomach. Especially watching the poor guys leg shaking in a violent fit while surrounded by 5-6 medics. And to more rub salt on the wound, the attacker was only yellow-carded! To make it even worse, as in to put fire on the salted wound, they have already used-up all their substitues!!

However, to be fair to the Romanians, they have also been on the receiving end on some of the fouls. Or to be exact, Duncan Ferguson's elbow. This guy is a cheat. I watched 2 clear elbows on the Romanians that went unpunished from Ferguson, which, at more correct angles, might cause someone's eyeballs to pop-out of their sockets. That did not justify what Plesan did to Arteta though.

Fortunately, based on the news from everton website, Mikael Arteta is now doing OK, and the Blues 'medical team are confident that there is nothing serious to report'

(I know I am a Reds but in football, things like this are not supposed to happen)

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Heh heh..I guess that I have got a lot of things wrong based on my previous entry regarding the Champs League Matchday 2 matches.

AC and Real Madrid would probably trample all over their opponents. -- Not happening.
And also PSV, Lyon and Porto. -- Only Lyon won unconvincingly
Maybe Inter vs Rangers would provide some excitement. -- Maybe this is the one that contain a bit of truth in it.
Anyway, 81 will be showing Real Madrid vs Olympiakos at 2:45am -- Even the screening time was incorrect! he he

I guess, thats what I like about football. Nothing is going to be absolute certain.

Reds vs Blues

Damn..i missed ALL the matches from last night..guess that I have to watch the replays tonight then. However the most surprising result from last night is definitely Thun 1 Sparta 0. So their previous superb performance at Highbury is not a fluke then.

After that, i would not miss the 2:45am kickoff from Anfield. Must go back early and sleep first..kalau tak, mmg kong la tomorrow.

So, what the chances are for the reds to inflict chelsea's 1st defeat of the season? None, I believe. Chelsea are looking quite strong at this moment and i think this season they will only lose to one of the european big guns..Juve, AC, Barca, R Madrid...maybe not to anybody on English ground. However, knowing the Reds, and how unpredictable they are, it would not surprise me at all for them to win 1-0 tonite and on Sunday, only to poorly draw or lose to Blackburn on the 15th. After all, when going down 1-0 at half time against olympiakos at anfield last season, who in their right frame of mind would have thought of this?

(pix taken from www.liverpoolfc.tv)

And frankly, if I were to choose one win between tonite's and Sunday's game, I would definitely choose 3 league points.

Other possibly entertaining matches tonight, err...i guess none. AC and Real Madrid would probably trample all over their opponents. And also PSV, Lyon and Porto. Maybe Inter vs Rangers would provide some excitement. Anyway, 81 will be showing Real Madrid vs Olympiakos at 2:45am and 82 will be showing reds vs blues at the same time. And there's another unlisted delayed telecast at 5:00am.

Champs League Matchday 2

About to go back..makan2, layan House...memula rasa mcm hampeh..dah tengok sekali mcm best pulak..

Anyway mlm ni is another round of the champs league...they called it Matchday 2 over at the UEFA site. Another 8 matches, and the interesting ones would be ManYoo vs Benfica (ch 81 2:30am), Ajax vs Arsenal (ch 82 2:00am) and Barca vs Udinese delayed telecast at 5:00am...i think Ajax Arsenal will be one heck of a match...and I do rate steven pienaar highly (he of the chicken dance celebration vs Milan semi 2003)..and arsenal, well the most exciting team to watch in EPL i believe...with liverpool not playing today, i will be watching ch 82 then....

Barca vs Udinese is another exciting one to watch, but thinking of the telecast time, plus considering the 9am meeting tomorrow, I think i better avoid that then...

(How i miss those days when I can watch footie all night and still be able to go to work in the morning...sigh..I guess I am getting old now)