''Soccer'' 2017-2018

[WillieMorgan]

Anyone watching the games tonight?

Yeah, absolutely. Difficult one for United. Although they aren't at the same level as either Real Madrid or Barcelona, Sevilla are a top drawer European football club. They are one of the best coached teams in Spain, and that's saying something. United SHOULD get through the two legs and qualify but any messing around and they'll struggle. United will have to play at their top level otherwise they'll get a rude awakening.

[John Ossie]

Well, you know me WillieMorgan. I'll be rooting for Sevilla tonight

But yeah they'll be a tough team to beat, I was very impressed by them when they beat us in the Europa League final two years ago.

[WillieMorgan]

Well, you know me WillieMorgan. I'll be rooting for Sevilla tonight

But yeah they'll be a tough team to beat, I was very impressed by them when they beat us in the Europa League final two years ago.

Wait, you actually want Sevilla to win tonight John? It's not very patriotic to hope that a fellow English club gets beaten. Where's your sense of loyalty?

Only joking. I remember that Europa League Final against Liverpool very well and very fondly. If United don't apply themselves properly tonight then they could get a similar result. Sevilla have won the Europa League no fewer than five times this century. It might not be the same as the Champions League but that's still a serious achievement.

[John Ossie]

LOL. There were plenty of Man Utd fans who rooted for Milan back in 2005 as I recall

Yeah, I thought you'd have fond memories of them beating us

[WillieMorgan]

LOL. There were plenty of Man Utd fans who rooted for Milan back in 2005 as I recall

Yeah, I thought you'd have fond memories of them beating us

Heh. Yeah, I was one of them. It was the same summer that the Glazers bought United and a tiny London club won the League for only the second time in their history.

My sister and girlfriend of the time both went to watch the match in a local pub. I refused to go and got a text from my girlfriend telling me it was 3-0 to Milan at half time. 'Thank God for that' I thought

It's one of the periods in my life where I considered giving up football (the other being Summer 2012). I still maintain that that Liverpool team are the worst European Cup winners ever. Rafa Benitez reached the final again two years later with a far better team of players, against Milan again no less, and this time got beat. That's football for you.

[John Ossie]

Heh. Yeah, I was one of them. It was the same summer that the Glazers bought United and a tiny London club won the League for only the second time in their history.

My sister and girlfriend of the time both went to watch the match in a local pub. I refused to go and got a text from my girlfriend telling me it was 3-0 to Milan at half time. 'Thank God for that' I thought

It's one of the periods in my life where I considered giving up football (the other being Summer 2012). I still maintain that that Liverpool team are the worst European Cup winners ever. Rafa Benitez reached the final again two years later with a far better team of players, against Milan again no less, and this time got beat. That's football for you.

Well, I may be biased here but I think there must've been a worse team to have won it. After-all that same group of players also reached the League Cup final and would've beaten Chelsea too had Gerrard not scored an own goal, by the time extra time came we were knackered and inevitably got beat, how we managed to make it 3-2 with the dead legs we had I don't know. And we also had quite a good central midfield back then and we did have problems with injuries to our strikers. Though we did have an awful goalkeeper in Dudek, though to his credit he did the job for us in the shoot-out against Milan.

I will concede we had a better group of players in 2007 though.

[WillieMorgan]

Sevilla 0-0 United

A bit of a toothless game after all that. Sevilla had some decent chances, and DeGea made a couple of good saves, but there was nothing too troubling about tonight. Job half done.

Lukaku couldn't hit the proverbial barn door tonight, very poor. And some of Sevilla's blatant diving was cringeworthy to watch.

[WillieMorgan]

I will concede we had a better group of players in 2007 though.

Oh, no contest:

Liverpool 2005 CL Winners: Dudek, Finnan (Hamann 46), Traore, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Gerrard, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Kewell (Smicer 23), Baros (Cisse 85).

Liverpool 2007 CL Runners-Up: Reina, Finnan (Arbeloa 88), Carragher, Agger, Riise, Alonso, Mascherano (Crouch 78), Pennant, Zenden (Kewell 59), Gerrard, Kuyt.

[John Ossie]

As far as Sevilla's diving is concerned I think they've been taking lessons from Tottenham. (given the amount of cheating they did against Liverpool)

[John Ossie]

Well, Arsenal are through to the next round of the Europa League to face AC Milan. Name wise it'll probably be the tie of the round.

[WillieMorgan]

Sky Sports might as well have employed me as a match day pundit this afternoon at Old Trafford. I'd have been no less impartial, only in favour of the other team.

And apparently United have the media 'on their side'.

[John Ossie]

LOL WillieMorgan, the amount of BS I've heard the media say in defence of United is ridiculous LOL, particularly during the Fergie era. Still, you won today so that puts you back up to second unfortunately, I think it would've been better for Liverpool had you two drew today but at least we're further ahead of Chelsea now in the battle for a top four finish. I'd also like to add that the cheating Spurs won today to go back to fourth, apparently no diving for a penalty was necessary this time LOL. Oh and according to the BBC they've won 15 consecutive games in ALL competitions now LOL, EVEN THOUGH THEY DREW AGAINST ROCHDALE AND LIVERPOOL IN THEIR LAST FIFTEEN GAMES LOL.

Sorry about the yelling, LOL. Anyhow, I'm currently on course to win £8 on my bet this week. Ironically I needed Spurs to win LOL. But I also needed Cardiff and Celtic to win and they did. Now I just need Man City to win in the League Cup within the regular 90 minutes and I've won for the first time since Boxing Day LOL.

Oh and I guess I might as well mention that my mate Len's team won 3-2 yesterday as well, left it late but at least they got back to winning ways following their trouncing 4-1 loss on Tuesday.

[WillieMorgan]

LOL WillieMorgan, the amount of BS I've heard the media say in defence of United is ridiculous LOL, particularly during the Fergie era. Still, you won today so that puts you back up to second unfortunately, I think it would've been better for Liverpool had you two drew today but at least we're further ahead of Chelsea now in the battle for a top four finish. I'd also like to add that the cheating Spurs won today to go back to fourth, apparently no diving for a penalty was necessary this time LOL. Oh and according to the BBC they've won 15 consecutive games in ALL competitions now LOL, EVEN THOUGH THEY DREW AGAINST ROCHDALE AND LIVERPOOL IN THEIR LAST FIFTEEN GAMES LOL.

Sorry about the yelling, LOL. Anyhow, I'm currently on course to win £8 on my bet this week. Ironically I needed Spurs to win LOL. But I also needed Cardiff and Celtic to win and they did. Now I just need Man City to win in the League Cup within the regular 90 minutes and I've won for the first time since Boxing Day LOL.

Oh and I guess I might as well mention that my mate Len's team won 3-2 yesterday as well, left it late but at least they got back to winning ways following their trouncing 4-1 loss on Tuesday.

I'm sorry but that's simply not true. During the Fergie era United were often portrayed as the pantomime villain of English football. A nation of ABU losers lapped it all up. They loved it.

So many match day pundits were former Liverpool players or people with a vested interest in that club. How could they show preference towards United? They couldn't. Admittedly, that balance has shifted slightly nowadays with the likes of Scholes and Ferdinand on BT Sport. The overall tone of Sky's coverage today was overwhelmingly pro-Chelsea. Even before kick-off. I don't mind that in discussions like this but I do from a national broadcaster.

Looks like you won your eight quid. Congrats. I didn't see the final but that appears to be an embarrassing defeat for Arsenal.

[John Ossie]

I think we best agree to disagree regarding how United are portrayed in the media. Since we're clearly not going to agree or come to a compromise otherwise

On a lighter note, yep I've won my eight pounds from BetFred LOL. I wouldn't have been bothered otherwise as I was a neutral in terms of who won between Arsenal and City since it didn't effect Liverpool in anyway, but since I had money riding on it... LOL. Didn't think it'd be 3-0 though, must've got a good hiding from Pep after losing to Wigan.

Of course my Wife will most likely have me put the eight pounds into the savings account we have for our Son LOL. Every bit helps I guess.

[WillieMorgan]

Of course my Wife will most likely have me put the eight pounds into the savings account we have for our Son LOL. Every bit helps I guess.

See, if you'd kept your flutter on the football a secret then you'd have been able to splash out on a couple more comics this week than usual

I'm joking. I think....