Weird things about football that are true but don't sound it

stevoc

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What a shame. You really couldn't beat it. I'll go ahead an leave now.
It is but i guess the new owners removed it because they wanted their relationship with the fans to be smooth, criminal they got rid of it though.
 

Florida Man

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It is but i guess the new owners removed it because they wanted their relationship with the fans to be smooth, criminal they got rid of it though.
I couldn't agree more. You are not alone in feeling this way.
 

predator

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Ryan Bertrand not only has won a champions league but he is the first player in the tournaments history to make his european debut in the final.

The fact he started in a champions league final let alone winning it always baffles me.
 

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If only his Knockout round goals counted, Cristiano Ronaldo would still be 4th on the all time champions league all time top scorers list
 

Giggs86

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Steve McManaman played for Real Madrid, won the CL with them and even scored an amazing volley in the final.

That's how Liverpool showed up to the FA Cup final 96', right before we smashed them:

 

Cal?

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If only his Knockout round goals counted, Cristiano Ronaldo would still be 4th on the all time champions league all time top scorers list
Actually if only knockout rounds counter, he'd be far and away the top scorer by some distance? :confused:
 

El cangrejo

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Steve McManaman played for Real Madrid, won the CL with them and even scored an amazing volley in the final.
But wasn't included in an England World Cup squad because they had Trevor Sinclair.
 

SqueakyWeasel

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Steve McManaman played for Real Madrid, won the CL with them and even scored an amazing volley in the final.

That's how Liverpool showed up to the FA Cup final 96', right before we smashed them:

Even allowing for the whole 'pool thing I must say that I loved Macca as a player, great with the ball at his feet. I could never understand why he wasn't used in the England international squad more too. One of the only English players to shine abroad as well. Pity he's such a biased ABU pundit and commentator though :mad:.

Those fecking suits :lol:
 

stevoc

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Tbf it was bad...
It was and it wasn't i don't think it's a black or white issue. Yes it was a poor statue aesthetically and it's only human nature for someones initial reaction to think it's ugly but another part of me thinks it was great, something different. But anyway i'll leave it there because i don't wanna be startin' somethin' here and derailing the thread.
 

Cantona'sCollar

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Actually if only knockout rounds counter, he'd be far and away the top scorer by some distance? :confused:
He means that if everyone else had their complete tallies, while CR only had his knock out goals counted, he would still be 4th. Crazy stat.
 

Lord Megadrive

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It was and it wasn't i don't think it's a black or white issue. Yes it was a poor statue aesthetically and it's only human nature for someones initial reaction to think it's ugly but another part of me thinks it was great, something different. But anyway i'll leave it there because i don't wanna be startin' somethin' here and derailing the thread.
:lol:
 

GhastlyHun

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Philipp Lahm and Thomas Müller have played nearly 400 matches of football together (Bayern + N11).
Müller is still 27.
 

2 man midfield

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Ex-Spurs keeper Paul Robinson has scored, assisted and won a penalty in the Premier League.

David and James were the most common first names in the Premier League in 2010/11 - yet it was the first season in which David James did not appear.

Iago Aspas took more corners than shots in the Premier League.
 

Nighteyes

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Ex-Spurs keeper Paul Robinson has scored, assisted and won a penalty in the Premier League.

David and James were the most common first names in the Premier League in 2010/11 - yet it was the first season in which David James did not appear.

Iago Aspas took more corners than shots in the Premier League.
:lol:

The last 2 are great!
 
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Gio

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Even allowing for the whole 'pool thing I must say that I loved Macca as a player, great with the ball at his feet. I could never understand why he wasn't used in the England international squad more too. One of the only English players to shine abroad as well. Pity he's such a biased ABU pundit and commentator though :mad:.

Those fecking suits :lol:
Yeah, it was a bit silly that he was good enough for the Galacticos yet wasn't good enough for Eriksson's England. Especially when his spot was taken by Trevor Sinclair. As well as being a very fluid ball-carrying wide player, post Zidane and Figo he adapated his game to become a high-class watercarrier for Madrid. All of those qualities should have been invaluable for England because they lacked players who could beat a man and players who could sacrifice themselves on behalf of the team.
 

El cangrejo

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Without going too far off topic, Eriksson's obsession with 4-4-2 was so daft when you consider how many excellent midfielders he had at his disposal, while Owen was his only top class forward (prior to the emergence of Rooney).

Scholes, Butt and McManaman would have been an fantastically balanced midfield three in 2002.
 

Robertd0803

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Philipp Lahm and Thomas Müller have played nearly 400 matches of football together (Bayern + N11).
Müller is still 27.
Muller being only 27 despite being around forever and looking twice his age is weird enough.
 

Globule

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Even allowing for the whole 'pool thing I must say that I loved Macca as a player, great with the ball at his feet. I could never understand why he wasn't used in the England international squad more too. One of the only English players to shine abroad as well. Pity he's such a biased ABU pundit and commentator though :mad:.

Those fecking suits :lol:
He was a great player. I still remember that goal he scored against Arsenal - the volley from the throw in. Great goal.
 

Peyroteo

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Madonna's son plays for Benfica's u-12 team and is being coached by Nuno Gomes. That's two names I thought I'd never see in the same sentence
 

Peyroteo

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Im going to the Algarve in the summer, how long is a trek to Lisboa?
It should be 2 and a half to 3 hours depending where you stay. It's a cool trip though, driving through the Alentejo plains is always a bit surreal as I'm used to be in the middle of mountains. I'll be in the Algarve (Lagos) too for a week or so in the summer, although I'll have to travel from all the way north
 

Ramshock

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It should be 2 and a half to 3 hours depending where you stay. It's a cool trip though, driving through the Alentejo plains is always a bit surreal as I'm used to be in the middle of mountains. I'll be in the Algarve (Lagos) too for a week or so in the summer, although I'll have to travel from all the way north
If I go I will have to see Benfica and Sportings stadiums
 

FahadiHossein

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Even allowing for the whole 'pool thing I must say that I loved Macca as a player, great with the ball at his feet. I could never understand why he wasn't used in the England international squad more too. One of the only English players to shine abroad as well. Pity he's such a biased ABU pundit and commentator though :mad:.

Those fecking suits :lol:
Yeah, it was a bit silly that he was good enough for the Galacticos yet wasn't good enough for Eriksson's England. Especially when his spot was taken by Trevor Sinclair. As well as being a very fluid ball-carrying wide player, post Zidane and Figo he adapated his game to become a high-class watercarrier for Madrid. All of those qualities should have been invaluable for England because they lacked players who could beat a man and players who could sacrifice themselves on behalf of the team.
He just came into the setup at a very wrong time. The right wing position was preceded by Darren Anderton, and then later by Becks. As long as Becks was holding onto that position, there was very little chance that he could play unless Becks couldn't play. I also think that he didn't play enough for Real Madrid to justify his selection over Becks or even Trevor Sinclair.

And back then, players were less versatile. I think of him as a strictly right winger and I don't remember his other roles being that memorable. Real preferred Guti to him as a central midfielder. I think they experimented him as a left winger to fill the ever-vacant spot for the England national spot but he did not cope well. If he were to play today, he would be asked to play a variety of roles at a young age and he would not have any issues being retrained as a left winger or right back.
 

beckbeck

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Fontaine is rolling in his grave, why did you steal his thread like this?
 

Gio

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He just came into the setup at a very wrong time. The right wing position was preceded by Darren Anderton, and then later by Becks. As long as Becks was holding onto that position, there was very little chance that he could play unless Becks couldn't play. I also think that he didn't play enough for Real Madrid to justify his selection over Becks or even Trevor Sinclair.

And back then, players were less versatile. I think of him as a strictly right winger and I don't remember his other roles being that memorable. Real preferred Guti to him as a central midfielder. I think they experimented him as a left winger to fill the ever-vacant spot for the England national spot but he did not cope well. If he were to play today, he would be asked to play a variety of roles at a young age and he would not have any issues being retrained as a left winger or right back.
There was certainly plenty of competition on the right. But I remember McManaman as the type of winger who was adept on both flanks and often at Liverpool he had a a floating role across the midfield (they often played a 3-5-2). He was a vital part of the Madrid side that won the Champions League in 2000 as part of a midfield three with Redondo and one other. United had an incredible midfield at that time yet they were really blown away by Madrid that season. And he was an influential player throughout his time there. In the three seasons ahead of the 2002 World Cup, he played 47, 42 and 38 games for Madrid - and that was competing with Figo and Zidane for a spot in midfield. Eriksson not taking him in 2002 was nothing to do with versatility IMO and simply about the Swede not rating him - which always seemed a bit odd given how well he was doing in a variety of midfield roles for a club that had just won its third Champions League title in five seasons.
 

marukomu

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Kevin Francis, the 6 feet 7 inches ex-Stockport County player is now a police officer in Canada.
 

GailSpaceWynand

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Bela Guttmann won Benfica 2 European Cups (back in 62') and then left after a dispute with the board regarding finances, famously putting a curse that the club will not win another European Cup in a 100 years.

It's been 55 years; They have reached 8 European Finals since, and lost all of them.
 

FahadiHossein

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There was certainly plenty of competition on the right. But I remember McManaman as the type of winger who was adept on both flanks and often at Liverpool he had a a floating role across the midfield (they often played a 3-5-2). He was a vital part of the Madrid side that won the Champions League in 2000 as part of a midfield three with Redondo and one other. United had an incredible midfield at that time yet they were really blown away by Madrid that season. And he was an influential player throughout his time there. In the three seasons ahead of the 2002 World Cup, he played 47, 42 and 38 games for Madrid - and that was competing with Figo and Zidane for a spot in midfield. Eriksson not taking him in 2002 was nothing to do with versatility IMO and simply about the Swede not rating him - which always seemed a bit odd given how well he was doing in a variety of midfield roles for a club that had just won its third Champions League title in five seasons.
I was still in primary school and early secondary school at that time with no Internet access, so my memory is a bit sketchy.

What I remember was that Real Madrid put him all over the place across the midfield during the start of the Galaticos era (which was close to the 2002 World Cup) and he did not have a designated role in the club. I think what I meant that he was not a versatile player is that players at the time had a fixed natural position, and could play in other positions but were not effective at all, unlike today's players like Mikhi, Hazard or Sanchez who can play at left, center and right forward positions. I guess you could say that he was versatile for his era and he is a pioneer of what it means to be a versatile utility player.

I just checked on transfermkt and I found out that in the 2001/2002 season after Zidane came, he only started 14 La Liga games. He started quite a number of games in 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 but found himself gradually phased out under the Galaticos policy. I think like one of the posters said, Eriksson was quite stubborn with his 4-4-2 with Heskey and Owen upfront. For my CM and FIFA games, I usually selected McManaman for the England squad to do what he did at Real Madrid, that was to come on as a sub and fill roles across the entire midfield. In my opinion, I think the versatility meant that he did not start many games and was constantly thrown on as a sub or utility player, and Eriksson wanted players who were more specialized or played more often, which was why he took Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Becks, Butt and Sinclair. Because of this insistence, he actually went to the World Cup with no left winger.