Football thread 2010/11

[frag]

It's all starting again, with the Premier League and Football League fixtures announced tomorrow, the first European draw of the season on Monday (with thirteen British clubs including Motherwell entering, alongside such giants as Olympiakos, Besiktas, Rosenborg and, erm... Mika).

Meanwhile, transfer gossip has been flying around. Chamakh has finally signed for Arsenal, Man United have signed Mexican starlet Javier "little sweet pea" Hernandez (who is at the world cup), Tosic has left United after only five appearances, and Joe Cole and Michael Ballack will leave Chelsea on free transfers.

But today, the first-round draw of the Carling Cup took place, throwing together Portsmouth (just relegated from the Premier League) and Stevenage (just promoted from the Blue Square Prem). Confusingly, Nottm Forest were in the Northern section of the draw, while Notts County were in the Southern section.

Hartlepool United v Sheffield United
Leicester City v Macclesfield Town
Walsall v Tranmere Rovers
Carlisle United v Huddersfield Town
Stockport County v Preston North End
Barnsley v Rochdale
Morecambe v Coventry City
Doncaster Rovers v Accrington Stanley
Chesterfield v Middlesbrough
Peterborough United v Rotherham United
Bradford City v Nottingham Forest
Leeds United v Lincoln City
Sheffield Wednesday v Bury
Scunthorpe United v Oldham Athletic
Crewe Alexandra v Derby County
Exeter City v Ipswich Town
Southend United v Bristol City
Southampton v Bournemouth
Brentford v Cheltenham Town
Queens Park Rangers v Port Vale
Torquay United v Reading
Norwich City v Gillingham
Stevenage v Portsmouth
Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic
Cardiff City v Burton Albion
Northampton Town v Brighton & Hove Albion
Swansea City v Barnet
Plymouth Argyle v Notts County
Wycombe Wanderers v Millwall
Oxford United v Bristol Rovers
Milton Keynes Dons v Dagenham & Redbridge
Hereford United v Colchester United
Yeovil Town v Crystal Palace
Aldershot Town v Watford
Swindon Town v Leyton Orient

Ties to be played w.c. 9th August

[suedehead]

Southampton v Bournemouth is causing much excitement hereabouts. They've only played each other 18 times in competitive matches and now there at least three matches to come in the new season

[Panda]

Next season's fixtures are out!

Unfortunately, the Premier League and Football League demand loads of money from people who re-produce them so here are some completely made up games featuring random teams that may or may not be taking place on the same day as the start of the Premier League.

Aston Vanilla v West Spam
Tony Blackburn v Clive Everton
Blackpool Tower v Wigan Warriors
Reebok FC v West London Whites (Pro Evo-tastic!)
Chelski v Baggies
The Liverpool Reds v Arse
Merchandise United v Geordie b*st*rds
Blunderland v Brum
Tottingham v The Word's Richest Football Club
Wolds v Bram Stoker

[frag]

Jun 17, 2010 10:18:37 GMT 1 Panda said:

Unfortunately, the Premier League and Football League demand loads of money from people who re-produce them so here are some completely made up games featuring random teams that may or may not be taking place on the same day as the start of the Premier League.

I believe you're allowed to reproduce 10%?

We've got a tough first game, but at least we don't play any of the big four until October

Other interesting fixtures include Chelski at home on Boxing Day (just like when we won the league in 01/02), key games clashing with potential cup dates again (Spuds away on Carling Cup final day - last season it was on FA Cup Semi day - and Scouse Reds at home on FA Cup Semi day).

Oh, and our last three home games are Scouse Reds, Mank Reds and Aston Vanilla...

In other news, the FA Cup final clashes with a Premier League weekend for the first time. (In another good omen, the last time the FA Cup final was before the end of the season was in 01/02).

[Panda]

Jun 17, 2010 10:50:53 GMT 1 frag said:

Jun 17, 2010 10:18:37 GMT 1 Panda said:

Unfortunately, the Premier League and Football League demand loads of money from people who re-produce them so here are some completely made up games featuring random teams that may or may not be taking place on the same day as the start of the Premier League.

I believe you're allowed to reproduce 10%?

No idea and I don't really care.

[Maximo Mark]

Interesting that Forest have the 3 promoted teams as out first three home games, not sure about that. They'll all be well up for it. And after two seasons of playing Reading on the opening day we now play them 3rd!!

[frag]

Jun 17, 2010 21:56:52 GMT 1 Maximo Mark said:

Interesting that Forest have the 3 promoted teams as out first three home games, not sure about that. They'll all be well up for it. And after two seasons of playing Reading on the opening day we now play them 3rd!!

Several familiar dates for our fixtures, too. Birmingham in mid-October, West Ham at the end of October (3rd year running), Wolves in early November, Sunderland at home in the Spring (3rd year running), Fulham on the last day.

[Tom]

Jun 17, 2010 21:56:52 GMT 1 Maximo Mark said:

And after two seasons of playing Reading on the opening day we now play them 3rd!!

Yes, place the bets on a 0-0 now!

Scunny at home on the opening day, will almost certainly go to that and looking for a win, especially as the games seem to get progressively harder as the month goes on. Pompey away (not easy as our record at Fratton Park isn't good) Forest at home and then Leicester away. Having missed televised games in the last 2 seasons in August while away i'm sure either the Pompey or Forest games will be televised!

[vastar iner]

We're about to enter our, I think, seventh season in the Premier League since the Skyvolution, and for the sixth time we start the season away from home.

[frag]

The draw for the early qualifying rounds of the Europa League and Champions League has been made.

The latter draw pits the Irish champions against the Welsh champions in the 2nd qualifying round: Bohemians vs The New Saints.

Since the losers in the CL 3rd quali round go into the EL play-off round, this means there will be at least one Welsh or Irish side in that stage of the competition (either in CL or EL), which is where the likes of Man City, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Feyenoord enter (in the case of the EL).

More information later.

[frag]

Looks like we're about to spend nearly £10m on an uncapped French/Polish defender with no international experience. Step forward, Laurent Koscielny...

[frag]

The 2010/11 season officially starts tonight, with a Champions League 1st Qualifying Round clash between those giants of the game, FC Santa Coloma and Birkirkara, Champions of Andorra and Malta respectively.

A number of British sides begin their campaigns Europa League 1st qualifying round, which starts on Thursday. Others start in the 2nd qualifying round, with the first legs in two weeks' time.

Champions League, 2nd Qualifying Round
First legs: 13/14 July; Second legs: 20/21 July
Bohemians (IRL) vs The New Saints (WAL)
Linfield (NIR) vs Rosenborg (NOR)

Europa League, 1st Qualifying Round
First legs: 1 July; Second legs: 8 July
14: Portadown (NIR) vs Skonto Riga (LAT)
15: TPS (FIN) vs Port Talbot Town (WAL)
16: KR Reykjavik (ICE) vs Glentoran (NIR)
17: Grevenmacher (LUX) vs Dundalk (IRL)
19: Llanelli (WAL) vs Tauras Taurage (LIT)

Europa League, 2nd Qualifying Round
First legs: 15 July; Second legs: 22 July
Cercle Brugge (BEL) vs TPS/Port Talbot
Motherwell (SCO) vs Brei∂abik (ICE)
Maritimo (POR) vs Sporting Fingal (IRL)
Shamrock Rovers (IRL) vs Ulisses (ARM)/Bnei Yehuda (ISR)
KR/Glentoran vs Karpaty Lviv (UKR)
Llanelli/Tauras vs APOEL (CYP)
Honka (FIN) vs Bangor City (WAL)
Levski Sofia (BUL) vs Grevenmacher/Dundalk
Qarabag (AZE)/Metalurg Skopje (MAC) vs Portadown/Skonto
Cibalia (CRO) vs Cliftonville (NIR)

Feel free to correct country codes, I couldn't be bothered looking them up so have just used the first three letters, except for IRL = ireland.

Jun 22, 2010 13:35:38 GMT 1 frag said:

The latter draw pits the Irish champions against the Welsh champions in the 2nd qualifying round: Bohemians vs The New Saints.

Since the losers in the CL 3rd quali round go into the EL play-off round, this means there will be at least one Welsh or Irish side in that stage of the competition (either in CL or EL), which is where the likes of Man City, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Feyenoord enter (in the case of the EL).

[frag]

BRITISH & IRISH TEAMS IN EUROPE 2010-11

A reminder of the teams that will be competing in Europe. The next draw will take place on July 16th, and will include Liverpool, Celtic and Hibs.

This list will (might) be updated periodically with teams' progress, elimination and opponents.

Champions League

Second Qualifying Round (Draw: 21 June; First legs: 13-14 July)
Bohemians
The New Saints
Linfield

Third Qualifying Round for Non-Champions (Draw: 16 July; First legs: 27-28 July)
Celtic

Play-off Round for Non-Champions (Draw: 6 August; First legs: 17-18 August)
Tottenham

Group Stage (Draw: 26 August; First matchday: 14-15 September)
Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Rangers

Europa League

First Qualifying Round (Draw: 21 June; First leg: 1 July)
Dundalk
Llanelli
Port Talbot Town
Glentoran
Portadown

Second Qualifying Round (Draw: 21 June; First leg: 15 July)
Motherwell
Sporting Fingal
Shamrock Rovers
Bangor City
Cliftonville

Third Qualifying Round (Draw: 16 July; First leg: 29 July)
Liverpool
Hibernian

Play-off Round (Draw: 6 August; First leg: 19 August)
Manchester City
Aston Villa
Dundee United

[ligerdog7]

man i pay big buxs see The Liverpool Reds v Arse sound blast
yoo
yooooooooooooooooo
damm skippyy
uppp
ggggggggggggggggggg

[Panda]

Jun 29, 2010 15:43:11 GMT 1 frag said:

Looks like we're about to spend nearly £10m on an uncapped French/Polish defender with no international experience. Step forward, Laurent Koscielny...

Wenger signing an unknown Frenchman?

[frag]

Jun 29, 2010 17:56:45 GMT 1 Panda said:

Jun 29, 2010 15:43:11 GMT 1 frag said:

Looks like we're about to spend nearly £10m on an uncapped French/Polish defender with no international experience. Step forward, Laurent Koscielny...

Wenger signing an unknown Frenchman?

I know! Not sure if it's ever happened before. Maybe I should check the records, but I'm all worn out from typing out names of obscure Eastern European teams.

This is certainly a departure from the regular stream of big names that have been flocking to Arsenal over the past several years. I, for one, hope that this risky new tactic pays off.

[raliverpool]

Other pre season highlights:

Manchester City sign Yaya Toure from Barcelona on a five-year deal for a fee of about £24m.

Manchester City are set to sign Spanish international winger David Silva from Valencia for an undisclosed fee.

Chelsea have signed Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun on a three-year deal for an undisclosed amount.

Egypt international Ahmed Al-Muhammadi completes Sunderland loan.

Bolton have signed Robbie Blake from Burnley and confirmed the arrival of Bulgarian midfielder Martin Petrov both on Bosman transfers.

and of course ....

Roy Hodgson leaves Fulham to become Liverpool manager on a 3 year contract; and Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton is hoping to sell the club by the end of the summer transfer window.

Already much to discuss?

[Panda]

Middlesbrough should be completing the signing of Charlton captain Nicky Bailey in the next few days.

[Tom]

Jun 19, 2010 10:27:39 GMT 1 Tom said:

Having missed televised games in the last 2 seasons in August while away i'm sure either the Pompey or Forest games will be televised!

Well I was right to expect a televised game in August, but its actually Leicester away at the end of the month rather than these two which means i'll be able to see it

[Maximo Mark]

Martin Petrov will be an excellent bosman signing for Bolton.