Off Topic Other Sport

What a EFL Cup final we had yesterday, great advert for two teams having a go and not just trying to sit back and try and nick one on the counter. Great result for me being a Liverpool fan, even if the game could have been 4-2 Chelsea as much as 4-2 for Liverpool. But those pens taken at the end... Just a great standard all round, even if some went very close to being saved. But if you get time, watch the penalty taken by Virgil Van Dyke and the way he basically put it up to the 'specialised penalty saver' by slamming it past him when he offered the other side of the goal...!!

In the end, as is the case with penalty shoot outs, someone has to lose/miss to get the winner and the fact it was the keeper brought on especially to save and win the cup for his team the one who would cost them the cup was all the more sweeter to all Liverpool fans...!!

 

Red, let’s be honest. The Chelsea goalie in the shootout was easily the worst I’ve ever seen. For all Liverpool’s shots, he dived stupidly before the ball moved and got nowhere near any one of them.
Why on earth don’t goalies stand tall in the middle of the posts- almost always one or two efforts go down the middle.
Also, Chelsea’ s hopeless finishing was like “ free gift week.”
That highlights they’ve never been taught about using the instep to achieve a powerful finish.
Like you, I’m glad Liverpool won - as a fellow northerner, but that ‘special shootout goalie! Wow! What an absolute joke.
His own effort on goal was the final laugh, wasn’t it?

 

What this one Tamerlo?

 

Or this one?

 

He’s praying for Kepa’s kick to come down from orbit before it gets dark.

 

Shane Warne: Australia legend dies aged 52

What a damn shame... What a player, what a bloke, way too early to pass away...

 

That is very sad news. Shane had only just paid a tribute to another Australian 'great' Rod Marsh. What terrible news for Australian and World cricket. Shane, you were far too young an age to leave us.

R.I.P. Shane and Rod.

 

2 Aussie cricket legends gone in as many days. Rodney Marsh passed away after a heart attack https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60508396

 

Can’t believe the great man has gone at just 52. Spin bowling looked to be on it’s way out of the game until he came along and upset the apple cart. I have a few mates who played minor counties NatWest against him when he was at Hants. All said he was proper good guy, had time for everyone and general cricket nut. RIP a Legend and Icon of the great game.

 

Whatever happens this year, this is enough, Real Madrid On Tour. Oil can't do it all.

 

Holy cow, Italy knocked-out of World Cup qualifying by North Macedonia (0-1 in the 92nd minute) Brilliant, bravo NM, such a tiny country!

Italy 0-1 North Macedonia: European champions stunned in World Cup play-offs - BBC Sport

 

Indeed Swanny. Great for North Macedonia. I didn’t see the match but the stats are incredibly one sided. Reminded me of the 1973 FA Cup Final when Sunderland overcame the mighty (at the time) Leeds with their keeper Montgomery having an absolute blinder.

 

Erik ten Hag

Excellent article by Marcel van der Kraan,
Sports Editor "De Telegraaf":

Erik ten Hag: What can Man Utd expect if they appoint Ajax boss as their new manager? - BBC Sport

Manchester United fans should all understand that the club will be damn lucky to get this top trainer/coach. I know Leipzig are after him, and, as he lives on the German/Dutch border where all residents speak both languages fluently, (whereas his English is currently just 'so-so'), a move to Leipzig might be of interest to him?

As mentioned in the article, with his wealthy family background and never having had any financial worries, it is probably true that Manchester United need Erik ten Hag more than he needs them? Good point.

We will know soon, I guess.

 

As a Liverpool fan i am laughing at the state of affairs with the Manchester club, side, manager situations job lot, and the reality is that the club needs a hug turnover and change of attitude and vitally experience...

It will be interesting to see who wants in when the new manager arrives as it seems that he is very demanding and needs total commitment to his ideas, something most of the players in the current team don't seem to have in them...!!

Good luck turning the Titanic Erik...!!

 

Haha, maybe they do need a big hug Oddy... Who dosnt eh...???

 

Pogba doesnt need a hug Red. He needs a kick in the bollocks. Fergie knew. Jettisoned him and they bought him back for a squillion quid. Hilarious. Surely they won’t renew his contract but this soap opera is rarely predictable other than the team performance which is mostly bang average.

 

Ronnie O'Sullivan, 7x times World snooker Champion, along with the many more snooker records & titles he owns, what a player...!! I'm not really in to the GOAT thing as i do think that it papers over some of the players of all sports in the past but Ronnie may well be the exception with what he's done...

My time started with Steve Davis dominating the sport, only to see Stephen Hendry raise the bar for Ronnie to raise it even further. To me it's all about how the players move a sport forward, how they do it, and with what style, passion, flair call it what you will. It's all about 'putting bums on seats' as Alex Higgins once said.

There is no doubt that a lot of snooker players up and down the country want to be Ronnie, as we to try and emulate his shots, unsuccessfully mind you, and try and entertain when like he dos, but we can't. And that includes some of his fellow pro's he's that good...

I can accept that he might be a flawed character at times, and i think he's even played on it, but he has to be put in the same bracket as some of the sporting idols/hero's that have graced all sports over a the years and who continue to wow the crowds with their talent and skills...

Will anyone beat his records & achievements, well i don't think anyone thought Davis would be beat, then Hendry's, but they have. If and when it dos, that particular player will be hopefully written about and given the praise that Ronnie is getting because he will be something very special if that ever happens...

Well played Ronnie, you truly are the Greatest Snooker player of all time...!!