General Sport Discussion (non-AFL)

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I don't follow the English top flight footy as fanatically as I did many moons ago but last nights result ie. Liverpool 7 v Manchester United 0 is one of the most extraordinary score lines I can remember considering the form of both sides recently.

Regret waking up for it severely. But it was a bit more lopsided than it should have been - Liverpool had 8 shots on target for 7 goals, a pretty massive overperformance. Was probably a 3-0 or 4-0 game.

On another issue as a Utd fan I'm grappling with is the potential for Qatari ownership - not pleasant to think about and I'm glad nation-state ownership won't ever be something we have to worry about for AFL.

Its genuinely saddening that the current Utd owners have been so so bad that to many fans the human rights record of the Qatari government is unimportant compared to getting them out. And I can kind of understand why, in addition to the lack of success for a decade the stadium and facilities have not been invested in at all and are rusting and old, including toilets that regulalrly flood with urine on match days.
 
Regret waking up for it severely. But it was a bit more lopsided than it should have been - Liverpool had 8 shots on target for 7 goals, a pretty massive overperformance. Was probably a 3-0 or 4-0 game.

On another issue as a Utd fan I'm grappling with is the potential for Qatari ownership - not pleasant to think about and I'm glad nation-state ownership won't ever be something we have to worry about for AFL.

Its genuinely saddening that the current Utd owners have been so so bad that to many fans the human rights record of the Qatari government is unimportant compared to getting them out. And I can kind of understand why, in addition to the lack of success for a decade the stadium and facilities have not been invested in at all and are rusting and old, including toilets that regulalrly flood with urine on match days.
I dont follow soccer to much, but read a damming peice about the new Newcastle owners - genuinely amazed that there ownership pasts the mustard test with there abhort sportswashing those Saudis are doing. I two would feel real unesay supporting a team that is backed like that irrespective if it guaranteed success with titles and the like.
 
I dont follow soccer to much, but read a damming peice about the new Newcastle owners - genuinely amazed that there ownership pasts the mustard test with there abhort sportswashing those Saudis are doing. I two would feel real unesay supporting a team that is backed like that irrespective if it guaranteed success with titles and the like.

Completely ridiculous that the Newcastle ownership got approved on the argument that the investment fund was not the nation-state. Which is the complete opposite of what the Saudis are arguing in US court in the LIV golf v PGA tour thing. There's just too much money required to own an english permier league club so it really limits who can do it to pretty objectionable options. Germany has a requirement for 50% plus 1 ownership of clubs by fans which is objectively better, but hasn't stopped it being dominated by Bayern munich for a decade.

I haven't really been bothered about supporting United much the last decade - mainly because they've underperformed but also because you need 4 streaming subscriptions these days to watch all the games in each competition. So I've enjoyed this year when they've been more competent but Qatari ownership would push me back to not bothering to wake up for games and I'd stop being an active supporter I think.
 

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I dont follow soccer to much, but read a damming peice about the new Newcastle owners - genuinely amazed that there ownership pasts the mustard test with there abhort sportswashing those Saudis are doing. I two would feel real unesay supporting a team that is backed like that irrespective if it guaranteed success with titles and the like.
Completely ridiculous that the Newcastle ownership got approved on the argument that the investment fund was not the nation-state. Which is the complete opposite of what the Saudis are arguing in US court in the LIV golf v PGA tour thing. There's just too much money required to own an english permier league club so it really limits who can do it to pretty objectionable options. Germany has a requirement for 50% plus 1 ownership of clubs by fans which is objectively better, but hasn't stopped it being dominated by Bayern munich for a decade.

I haven't really been bothered about supporting United much the last decade - mainly because they've underperformed but also because you need 4 streaming subscriptions these days to watch all the games in each competition. So I've enjoyed this year when they've been more competent but Qatari ownership would push me back to not bothering to wake up for games and I'd stop being an active supporter I think.
I have never been a fan of private ownership of sporting clubs, hate it. I have followed Chelsea since I was a whippersnapper in the late 1960s and was once just as fanatical about them and Valleys in the old BRL as I am now of the Lions.

Private ownership and the proliferation of diving/simulation in the EPL turned me off it in the main... the Broncos killed Valleys and the old BRL.

On a side note how much money must the Saudi's have... it's unreal.
 
I have never been a fan of private ownership of sporting clubs, hate it. I have followed Chelsea since I was a whippersnapper in the late 1960s and was once just as fanatical about them and Valleys in the old BRL as I am now of the Lions.

Private ownership and the proliferation of diving/simulation in the EPL turned me off it in the main... the Broncos killed Valleys and the old BRL.

On a side note how much money must the Saudi's have... it's unreal.
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WOW! I was sort of half joking with the above post BUT >

Ange Postecoglou is ‘mystery man’ linked with one of the biggest jobs in football

Australian coach Ange Postecoglou has sensationally been linked with one of the biggest jobs in world football - managing Premier League giant Chelsea.
________________________________________
That would be massive for Postecoglou if it were to happen, still think it is unlikely though, would be a bold move from Chelsea if they did it.
 
Famous last words 😂 Very soft second goal. We've looked very good in between tho. Playing a very Ange style of game. High pressing but then maintain possession when we get it.
I stand by it. That goal was very poor, but we definitely troubled them for long stretches and we didn't break down under pressure when playing it around at the back.
Just lacking any real class in front of goal. It's been this way for us for 15 years+ now.
This was our major failing, we could have put one or two past them but it is and will continue to be a real issue unfortunately.

FWIW the xG was 1.19 to 0.77 so quite a close game beyond Messi's strike.

On the positive side, Bos looked really good out there.
 

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What an absolutely disgraceful first day test match pitch that was yesterday. It was more like a batter friendly one day pitch.

I really hope England don't produce dead roads to help 'Bazball'. There is nothing wrong with test match cricket. Don't try to make it like T20 or 50 over cricket. T20 is losing it's lustre year by year as it ages anyways.
 
The best proposal if every country going to doctor their pitches is to allow the travelling team the choice of batting or bowling. But the BCCI would slit everyone else's wrists before that got through.
 
The best proposal if every country going to doctor their pitches is to allow the travelling team the choice of batting or bowling. But the BCCI would slit everyone else's wrists before that got through.
Have long thought this. Away team chooses every game. All forms of the game. And they can make the home team choose if they want.
 
Fabulous win at Edgbaston this morning.

I particularly enjoyed Broad's smirking, smiling, joking face turn to stone once the realisation set in that they they were probably going to lose .

Just after Lyon smacked him over wide long on to reduce the deficit to just 6 runs.

Then the mis-field 4 that got us the win.

It's great to be alive
 
Fabulous win at Edgbaston this morning.

I particularly enjoyed Broad's smirking, smiling, joking face turn to stone once the realisation set in that they they were probably going to lose .

Just after Lyon smacked him over wide long on to reduce the deficit to just 6 runs.

Then the mis-field 4 that got us the win.

It's great to be alive
Yer, I woke up really early and watched the last hour or so, no form of cricket can compete with Test Cricket for drama and tension.... loved it, particularly because Australia has lost so many close Test matches over the last decade.
 
Yer, I woke up really early and watched the last hour or so, no form of cricket can compete with Test Cricket for drama and tension.... loved it, particularly because Australia has lost so many close Test matches over the last decade.

I was just happy the first session was rained out & I could go to bed at 11 or so before play commenced.

If play had started at 8pm, I'd have been totally invested & theres zero chance I'd have gotten any sleep.

Edit: I sat through those two nail biter test match finishes in 2005. But I was in my mid 20's then, so much easier back then.
 
Fabulous win at Edgbaston this morning.

I particularly enjoyed Broad's smirking, smiling, joking face turn to stone once the realisation set in that they they were probably going to lose .

Just after Lyon smacked him over wide long on to reduce the deficit to just 6 runs.

Then the mis-field 4 that got us the win.

It's great to be alive

Yer, I woke up really early and watched the last hour or so, no form of cricket can compete with Test Cricket for drama and tension.... loved it, particularly because Australia has lost so many close Test matches over the last decade.

All this. Every time we lost a wicket I thought "ah well we'll collapse now so I'll just watch the next half hour and it'll be all over." But we never collapsed which was quite unusual 😁

Amazing win. Even if you go back to day 1 we were always pushing uphill. If you look at a winviz chart for the entire game, I reckon it'd say we were behind for basically the whole game until we got within say 3 or 5 runs. Cummins' two sixes over Root's head were stunning, and really signalled our intent. With 54 to get in 15 overs, compared with how we'd batted for the whole day, I assumed we were shutting up shop and playing for a draw (which wouldn't have been a bad result given how much we'd made England bowl). But those 2 shots changed the game completely and then Lyon's drive over wide mid on was phenomenal.

I still have memories of being at a cricket camp in 1993 watching us lose to the Windies by 1 run. Then there's 2005 and of course the Stokes game from 2019 where we had that many chances to win it but butchered all of them. And obviously I've seen the Border/Thommo near miss on replay many times. So it was nice to win a close one after so many years. Easily the most memorable test match I can remember from an Aussie point of view and glad I stayed up to watch it!

Then backed up for Origin on Wednesday night. Been to Lang Park plenty of times for Broncos games and even a couple of Asian Cup games back in 2015. But this was something else. I'd been to Origin a couple of times while I was living in Sydney (even copped a drink in the face one time), but this was something else. An absolutely cathartic experience. Fair to say I now have a better understanding as to why it's called the cauldron!

En route to Melbourne at the moment for the game tonight, and hoping to back up for Broncos v Titans on Sunday.
 
Possibly just me but I am very taken by the act of Alex Carey running out Johnny Bairstow while wandering out to do some gardening. Win or lose, the ultimate act of Aussie shithousery 😂
Given the number of times in every test you see a keeper having a shy at the stumps when the batsman has gone down the pitch to a fast bowler, I don't get why he's getting his knickers in a knot because he switched his brain off.

Cummins pointed out Bairstow even did it in this Test, which I'd love to see footage of.
 
Given the number of times in every test you see a keeper having a shy at the stumps when the batsman has gone down the pitch to a fast bowler, I don't get why he's getting his knickers in a knot because he switched his brain off.

Cummins pointed out Bairstow even did it in this Test, which I'd love to see footage of.
My understanding is that a batsman needs to re-establish his bat inside the crease before it can be called a dead ball.
He didn’t do that and just walked out without placing his bat behind the crease.
Batters 101 I would have thought, you will always see a batsman place his bat down before walking, he had a brain fade.
 
My understanding is that a batsman needs to re-establish his bat inside the crease before it can be called a dead ball.
He didn’t do that and just walked out without placing his bat behind the crease.
Batters 101 I would have thought, you will always see a batsman place his bat down before walking, he had a brain fade.
That doesn't strictly matter.

In this case, there are two relevant rules:

20.1.1 The ball becomes dead when

20.1.1.1 it is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or of the bowler.

...

20.1.2 The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.

The first one, Carey sent the ball out straight away so it never "settled". Similarly, the second one - while the batter may have ceased to regard it as in play, the fielding side clearly had not. Even if Bairstow had tapped his bat inside the crease and then walked out, it wouldn't have mattered - it would have indicated he thought the ball was dead, but batters can't unilaterally decide that.
 
Given the number of times in every test you see a keeper having a shy at the stumps when the batsman has gone down the pitch to a fast bowler, I don't get why he's getting his knickers in a knot because he switched his brain off.

Cummins pointed out Bairstow even did it in this Test, which I'd love to see footage of.



Pretty much the identical incident.

Also here's Baz "I don't think we'll be having a beer with them" McCullum earnestly defending the spirit of cricket as a player:

 

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