Watching old football matches

giorno

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Here they're showing games from the 90s and unless Zeman is involved they're mostly borefests :nervous:

Also when i think about the main differences between modern football compared to back then i'd usually think about fitness but it's really technically and tactically that show the most glaring differences.

A team like Wolves would piss serie A if you dropped them in '99
 

FootballHQ

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Watched Roma 4 Inter 5 the other day from May 1999.

Stacked full of attacking talent. Inter had Ronaldo, Zamorano and Baggio upfront. Managed by Roy Hodgson of course.
 

Gio

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Just watched the full match of England 1-1 Ireland at Italia 90.

Jesus, what a fecking awful match, couldn't wait for the match to be over, like having pins stuck in your eyes. Just two chances in the whole match - the two goals.

Ireland would make a Pulis managed team look like Barcelona in comparison. Even the short passes from Houghton etc were chipped into the air, nothing played along the ground or into feet.

England then reciprocated likewise with Terry Butcher smashing the ball long at every opportunity, the weather was wet and windy and so the wind kept blowing everything out of play. Nothing stuck up front for England. Since the ball was bypassing the midfield it meant Barnes and Beardsley were completely invisible.

England also went 1-0 early and never had another scoring opportunity, they deliberatly sat back and invited the aerial assault from Ireland. Ireland got their one scoring opportunity and took it from a McMahon mistake. Infact Ireland were arguably the better side since they actually had more of the ball in Englands half than theirs and try to win the game.

England were utterly useless.
It has to be one of the worst World Cup matches of all time. Especially since both sides were actually fairly stacked. The whole group was played in that manner and errors caused by chaos arising from hoofing was how most goals were scored. Niggly and dirty group too, no wonder the rules changed after that tournament.
 

SharpshooterTom

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It has to be one of the worst World Cup matches of all time. Especially since both sides were actually fairly stacked. The whole group was played in that manner and errors caused by chaos arising from hoofing was how most goals were scored. Niggly and dirty group too, no wonder the rules changed after that tournament.
The tactics from England were really strange. They went 1-0 up after 9 minutes and literally gave up, just went into their shell and allowed Ireland to come at them. And then whenever they did have the ball they hit long balls into the air which went nowhere, head tennis galore for 60 minutes going on and on, no one could string two passes together and then bang Ireland equalise.

Brian Moore and Ron Atkinson were both critical of England during the second half, saying England were playing a dangerous game, "you could see Ireland scoring here" etc, I'd say Bobby Robson would have got ripped to shreds in the press after that. Thankfully it got better for him thereafter.

I haven't seen the match yet but I think England supposed to be the better side against Holland and should've won the game.
 
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GuybrushThreepwood

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Ghana v Uruguay 2010 on BBC1 now.

fecking hell how did anyone put up with those vuvuzealas.
I remember ITV's coverage of that match in real-time was ridiculously biased in favour of Ghana. At the start Clive Tyldesley said something like 'now Ghana are your team'.

The notion that Ghana were somehow robbed in that match has go to be one of the biggest footballing myths that I've heard, at least in fairly recent history.
 

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Very entertaining match to watch for a while.Barcelona 5 Atlético 4.
Ronaldo,Figo,Stoichkov,De la Peña and Guardiola among others and the best Milinko Pantic
 

harms

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Interesting thread. I wanna view the best (not the most hyped) performances of some players. For me Messi’s best performance was vs Atletic Bilbao 2015, not only because of the goal. Really worth a look.

It’s hard to find out which performance is the best. For example Ronaldo’s (Brazil) performance against United 2003 is often considered as his best. I think he had way better performances before his injuries. What do you think is his best? Vs Lazio 1998?
Ronaldo’s best definitely came somewhere between 1996-1998, there are so many great games to choose from. His Old Trafford performance was brilliant, but he was already a shadow of his past self (although his past self was so good that even its shadow was good enough for 3 goals). Lazio is a very good shout, against peak Nesta as well. Games from 1997 Copa are well worth a watch as well.
 

utdalltheway

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I remember ITV's coverage of that match in real-time was ridiculously biased in favour of Ghana. At the start Clive Tyldesley said something like 'now Ghana are your team'.

The notion that Ghana were somehow robbed in that match has go to be one of the biggest footballing myths that I've heard, at least in fairly recent history.
The big turning point was the penalty in extra time, right? From what would have Ghana win, bitey boy Suarez used his hand to stop a certain goal. The laws allow for it (he got sent off and Ghana got a peno) but it’s a win at all costs mentality and so they (URU) got to penalties by cheating.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Interesting thread. I wanna view the best (not the most hyped) performances of some players. For me Messi’s best performance was vs Atletic Bilbao 2015, not only because of the goal. Really worth a look.

It’s hard to find out which performance is the best. For example Ronaldo’s (Brazil) performance against United 2003 is often considered as his best. I think he had way better performances before his injuries. What do you think is his best? Vs Lazio 1998?
Ronaldo's performance against Netherlands in the World Cup semi-final was pretty good. Scored a great goal under great pressure, nearly made another two or three out of nothing, one Davids gets his kicking leg, another a great save, another a great tackle by De Boer. Sort of game he would scored a hat-trick if it wasn't a game at the very highest level against a top side. Thought watching it was, how the hell do you defend him? It made what happened in the final all the more mysterious because this was him at the peak of his powers more or less.

 

GuybrushThreepwood

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The big turning point was the penalty in extra time, right? From what would have Ghana win, bitey boy Suarez used his hand to stop a certain goal. The laws allow for it (he got sent off and Ghana got a peno) but it’s a win at all costs mentality and so they (URU) got to penalties by cheating.
What's often missed in that match is that the same player whose shot Suarez blocked with his hands, Dominic Adiyiah, dived to win the free-kick which the handball incident stemmed from in the first place. He literally threw himself to the ground with Uruguay's Jorge Fucile not even near him. So the whole incident originated from cheating by Ghana and Adiyiah. Just based on that, we can say that two wrongs made a right in the end and justice was done.

Then after the free-kick was taken and the ball was headed on, Ghana's Appiah was in an offside position before taking the first shot at goal, before Adiyiah then took his shot was Suarez blocked. So any goal scored from that incorrect free-kick should have been disallowed for offside anyway.

And earlier in extra-time Uruguay were denied a blatant penalty when John Paintsil fouled Abreu in the box. It was probably fitting and poetic justice that Adiyiah went on to miss his penalty in the shootout, while Abreu won it with an excellent paneka.

I've criticised Suarez for many incidents, notably the one with Evra and his hat-trick of bites, but I don't think he deserves any criticism for that, and I don't see how Ghana had any right to feel robbed.
 

Robertd0803

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I've criticised Suarez for many incidents, notably the one with Evra and his hat-trick of bites, but I don't think he deserves any criticism for that, and I don't see how Ghana had any right to feel robbed.
I agree. Its one of the most tiresome myths than Ghana were robbed. Suarez is a terrible individual but Id like to see any other player in the same situation not do the same thing. FFS I can think of 2 penalties we conceded doing exactly the same thing off the top of my head. Its the one thing I wont criticise Suarez for.

He got caught, he was sent off and then Ghana blew it by missing the penalty.
 

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A few days ago, I sat down and watched the Arsenal vs Manchester United match at Highbury in 2005. There were some terrific goals in the match from both sides. O'Shea's chip to finish the match was wonderfully taken but Scholes pass to O'Shea to set up the goal was very clever. Rivalry matches these days don't seem to have the spice in them the Arsenal vs United games of that era had.
 

Demyanenko_square_jaw

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Can't remember the full game enough to say if Ghana were robbed or not, but stopping a shot on the goal line deliberately with your hand should just be a sending off and the goal given. A penalty isn't strong enough punishment there imo as we're basically talking situation with next to no ambiguity about if it was going to be a goal or not, unlike a typical foul or handball in the box.

In that respect i can see why supporters on the opposing end of someone playing the percentages like that knowing they can get away with it will feel hard done by.
 

Bondi77

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World Cup games are good to watch;
Brazil Italy 82
France Germany in the 80s.
 

GuybrushThreepwood

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I agree. Its one of the most tiresome myths than Ghana were robbed. Suarez is a terrible individual but Id like to see any other player in the same situation not do the same thing. FFS I can think of 2 penalties we conceded doing exactly the same thing off the top of my head. Its the one thing I wont criticise Suarez for.

He got caught, he was sent off and then Ghana blew it by missing the penalty.
Agreed.

If Suarez hadn't blocked that shot with his hands, Uruguay would have been knocked out of the World Cup due to a doubly faulty / incorrect goal, i.e. one stemming from a free-kick won by a huge dive which should never have been awarded (with the diver himself Adiyiah scoring the goal to add insult to injury), and one that should have been ruled out for offside. How unfair would that have been? So justice was definitely done, and Ghana certainly had no right to complain or feel cheated, when the whole incident originated from one of their players cheating in the first place. I don't understand why people only focus on the handball, but not not on the preceding dive and offside.

And as I said earlier, just before half-time in extra-time, Uruguay clearly should have been awarded a penalty following a blatant foul in the box.

I remember West Ham beating Blackburn 2-1 at Ewood Park in 2006/2007 thanks to a winning goal that was triply faulty / incorrect, as it came from a throw-in wrongly awarded to them instead of us, took a deflection from Tevez who was offside, and clearly hadn't even crossed the line before it was cleared, but the officials somehow awarded a goal. That was match was the turning point for West Ham that season as well. They went into it in a terrible run of form and without a win for 3 months, but starting with that match they won 7 out of their last 9 to stay up.
 
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matherto

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It made what happened in the final all the more mysterious because this was him at the peak of his powers more or less.
Surely there's not much mystery behind a person having a seizure and then playing poorly when he absolutely shouldn't have been on the pitch is there?
 

Pablo76

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ITV are showing the 1987 FA cup final on Saturday at 5pm.

Classic final.

Edit: Coventry v Spurs.
 
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FootballHQ

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All these tv producers really hate Spurs don't they? :lol:
 

Gio

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Interesting thread. I wanna view the best (not the most hyped) performances of some players. For me Messi’s best performance was vs Atletic Bilbao 2015, not only because of the goal. Really worth a look.

It’s hard to find out which performance is the best. For example Ronaldo’s (Brazil) performance against United 2003 is often considered as his best. I think he had way better performances before his injuries. What do you think is his best? Vs Lazio 1998?
Aye. The difference with his best performances before the injuries was that he was unplayable even in the middle third of the pitch. Whereas post-knee-blow-out his brilliance was confined to the final third.

A number of breathtaking performances for Barcelona in 1996/97. The hat-trick against Valencia in 1996 always worth a look.
 

carvajal

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Today I would recommend a bit of Real Madrid masochism, brutal beating in the Camp nou, with an incredible Romario, who scored one of my favorite goals, completely breaking Alkorta
Fortunately we had a chance for redemption, with the dream team in decline, with a Hagi that never met expectations. A lot of heart and desire for revenge and a great Iván Zamorano
 

carvajal

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I would add this Barcelona2 Valencia 3, probably the beginning of the golden era of Valencia, or at least the first part, with Ranieri/Cúper/Mendieta/Piojo López.Here still Ranieri,against the "dutch" Barcelona.
Everything happens in the second half
Real Sociedad-Real Madrid, Real Sociedad were second in the league and played a great season. Karpin,De Pedro,Kovacevic,Nihat and a very young Xabi Alonso destroying the galácticos in the first half
 
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FootballHQ

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Is that Barca cup game the one with the amazing Mendieta volley into top corner. Was from a corner I think.
 

Josh 76

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Never understand the fascination with past matches

For me once the result is known there's no more suspense
For me there is a massive fascination.
When I was growing up there were loads of matches I "watched" through the eyes of 10 - 15 year old and now when I watch them, they seem totally different. What I perceived to be amazing games as a kid are not amazing as an adult.
Then there are games as a kid i found boring, but watching them now with all the pre and post match analysis find very interesting. Im talking about the technique, pace and atmosphere.
 

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A few weeks ago on this site, there was a thread asking if football would be better without commentators and sure there are some you'd mute. Today though, I watched Leeds vs Tottenham from the 1992-93 season and there was no commentary at all on the recording I watched. I could have done with some commentary as Eric Cantona was the only player on either team I recognised and he scored a hat trick. Leeds smashed Spurs 5-0 for the record.
 
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Grinner

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Loved watching Tooty getting done by Coventry in the 87 Cup Final yesterday. They had an excellent team and Coventry were just cloggers mainly but lively Mickey Gynn and Dave Bennett helped pub forwards Houchen and Regis mix it up. I cheered just as loudly yesterday as I did 33 years ago when Mabbutt gifted them the cup.
 

FootballHQ

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Dave Bennett had an amazing game, he commentates on Coventry now for local radio. Think the equivilant of that game in recent times was Wigan beating Man. City.

Anyway today we have England-Argentina from 2002 world cup on red button at 3pm (freeview 601). Actually looking forward to that as there's hardly any coverage of that on YT bar 3 minute highlights.

Lacked the drama of 98 world cup but still interested to watch the full match given the debate on here recently of why Argentina flopped at that world cup. From memory I think England played much better than people realised so interested if that perception is true.
 

marktan

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England-Argentina 2002 giving on the bbc football website or on iPlayer if you go to the sport category.

Was only 8 at the time and I think it was the morning matches they showed at school, so no memory of the game. First half England have been the better team, but not massively. Owen shot hit the post, now he's won a penalty, off of Pochettino of all people.

I will say something, both teams seem to be defensively solid, and technically good in midfield. Scholes and Butt are spraying some nice passes around. What does stand out particularly though is the lack of attacking talent or movement, especially in the wide forward positions. Heskey is holding up well and Owen has had some nice dribbles, but both teams seem to be relying on midfielders / full backs to get balls into to the box. It makes me think how much more direct players like Cristiano, Mbappe, Salah, Mane, Robben etc would stand out, someone to hug the wide forward position and attack the defence. I know Wingers were a bigger thing back then vs the 4-3-3 we see nowadays, but it feels like a completely different style of football.


God it's funny seeing Linekar, Alan Hansen and Ian Wright doing the half-time punditry considering you still see them often almost 20 years later. They all look so fresh faced. And then you have Martin O'Niell who looks exactly the same as he does today.

Wish there was a schedule of some sort for these old football matches, interesting to watch but only find out about them by going on the bbc football website or if they randomly pop up live on youtube.
 
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SharpshooterTom

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Fulham 1-2 Man Utd 2006/07 is on Sky Sports PL at the moment 20 minutes to go. Ronaldo gets massively important winner 2 minutes from time.

Its amazing how quickly pitches have transformed over the past 10-15 years.

You wouldn't get a pitch even like that now in the Premier League. Ronaldo dribbling and its just bobbling everywhere.
 

FootballHQ

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England-Argentina 2002 giving on the bbc football website or on iPlayer if you go to the sport category.

Was only 8 at the time and I think it was the morning matches they showed at school, so no memory of the game. First half England have been the better team, but not massively. Owen shot hit the post, now he's won a penalty, off of Pochettino of all people.

I will say something, both teams seem to be defensively solid, and technically good in midfield. Scholes and Butt are spraying some nice passes around. What does stand out particularly though is the lack of attacking talent or movement, especially in the wide forward positions. Heskey is holding up well and Owen has had some nice dribbles, but both teams seem to be relying on midfielders / full backs to get balls into to the box. It makes me think how much more direct players like Cristiano, Mbappe, Salah, Mane, Robben etc would stand out, someone to hug the wide forward position and attack the defence. I know Wingers were a bigger thing back then vs the 4-3-3 we see nowadays, but it feels like a completely different style of football.


God it's funny seeing Linekar, Alan Hansen and Ian Wright doing the half-time punditry considering you still see them often almost 20 years later. They all look so fresh faced. And then you have Martin O'Niell who looks exactly the same as he does today.

Wish there was a schedule of some sort for these old football matches, interesting to watch but only find out about them by going on the bbc football website or if they randomly pop up live on youtube.
Yeah watched the full match as I promised.

Pretty much confirmed what I thought at the time, England were the better team for a good hour. Ropey opening 10 minutes when Argentina played between the lines well and Kily Gonzalez hit a few shots over (England disrupted a bit with Owen Hargreaves getting injured right at the start) and then last 15 minutes when England retreated and didn't have an outball with Owen going off but between that they played some composed football and also played through the thirds with more purpose.

Can see why everyone was rating Rio in that tournament, he strolled through the game marking Batistuta, Campbell was alright aswell but more in the last ditch element and also lost Batistuta for Argentina's one good chance at goal from open play.

Thought Trevor Sinclair had an amazing game when he came on, endless workrate up and down the left and also some good runs. Heskey also had a good game dropping deep and disrupting Veron and Simeone in midfield.

Interesting looking back at Argentina, no idea why Batistuta got the nod ahead of Crespo for the world cup, he could've been sent off in the first 20 minutes easily. Veron couldn't pass water in the first half either and was subbed at half time, Aimar made Argentina more direct but he hit some wild shots over. Thought Ortega was awful aswell. Surprised Claudio Lopez didn't start given he was great at Valencia around that time.

One other thing, I've always had in my mind that Walter Samuel was a brilliant CB yet in this game he massively struggled against Owen (in fairness this was peak Owen period before all his injuries). He wasn't great at Real Madrid either so perhaps I'm overrating him mainly on his Roma form. Ayala was a massive miss really as Pochettino was average CB even if he was unlucky for the penalty.

Good watch for a 1-0 anyway.
 

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Saw a 30 minute highlights package of Arsenal beating Manchester CIty 6-0 in 2001. Surprise, surprise, Australia's own Danny Tiatto was given a red card. Australia produced some walking red cards around that time in the form of Kevin Muscat and Danny Tiatto.
 

matherto

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Watchng England-Argentina on iPlayer now.

I know Becks was coming back from his metatarsal but he was bloody awful all game aside from the penalty.

No idea why Sven used to put Scholes on the left (as we all have no idea of course) but once Hargreaves went off him and Butt in the middle were absolutely fantastic. Scholes was in the middle against Germany when we won 5-1 and he's in the middle here and being brilliant, why oh why Sven?
 

Mr. Christian

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My son and I are stuck at home like many on this forum. Any tips to search for and watch old matches? Would love old United ones, FA Cup finals, World cups etc.....etc...

I think Youtube is decent for this stuff but wondering about other options?

Thanks a ton and I hope everyone is safe and healthy.
Here’s a cracker for ya. English League Vs Rest of World starring Diego Maradona. McGrath, Robson and Whiteside turn on the magic.
It was the Leagues centenary celebration.

Available on YouTube. Enjoy
 

paraguayo

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Yeah watched the full match as I promised.

Pretty much confirmed what I thought at the time, England were the better team for a good hour. Ropey opening 10 minutes when Argentina played between the lines well and Kily Gonzalez hit a few shots over (England disrupted a bit with Owen Hargreaves getting injured right at the start) and then last 15 minutes when England retreated and didn't have an outball with Owen going off but between that they played some composed football and also played through the thirds with more purpose.

Can see why everyone was rating Rio in that tournament, he strolled through the game marking Batistuta, Campbell was alright aswell but more in the last ditch element and also lost Batistuta for Argentina's one good chance at goal from open play.

Thought Trevor Sinclair had an amazing game when he came on, endless workrate up and down the left and also some good runs. Heskey also had a good game dropping deep and disrupting Veron and Simeone in midfield.

Interesting looking back at Argentina, no idea why Batistuta got the nod ahead of Crespo for the world cup, he could've been sent off in the first 20 minutes easily. Veron couldn't pass water in the first half either and was subbed at half time, Aimar made Argentina more direct but he hit some wild shots over. Thought Ortega was awful aswell. Surprised Claudio Lopez didn't start given he was great at Valencia around that time.

One other thing, I've always had in my mind that Walter Samuel was a brilliant CB yet in this game he massively struggled against Owen (in fairness this was peak Owen period before all his injuries). He wasn't great at Real Madrid either so perhaps I'm overrating him mainly on his Roma form. Ayala was a massive miss really as Pochettino was average CB even if he was unlucky for the penalty.

Good watch for a 1-0 anyway.
Veron's performance is remembered to his day in Argentina. They say he threw the game or something