January 31, 2011
“Everyone from the Muslim Brotherhood, to labor unions, to Wikileaks are being credited for contributing to Egypt’s uprising. But what about hardcore soccer fans? These guys are better at tangling with cops than just about anyone. When asked about the role of political groups in organizing protests, prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa abd El-Fatah told Al Jazeera today: ‘The ultras – the football fan associations – have played a more significant role than any political group on the ground at this moment.'” Gawker
Soccer clubs central to ending Egypt’s ‘Dictatorship of Fear’
“Over the decades that have marked the tenure of Egypt’s “President for Life” Hosni Mubarak, there has been one consistent nexus for anger, organization, and practical experience in the ancient art of street fighting: the country’s soccer clubs. Over the past week, the most organized, militant fan clubs, also known as the “ultras,” have put those years of experience to ample use.” SI
Egypt’s Soccer Revolution
“He was wearing a soccer replica-uniform but he was not on his way to watch a game but to Tahrir Square in Cairo to tackle Mubarak and his regime. Some reports from the region suggest that Egypt’s soccer fan organizations, known as Ultras, have been on the vanguard of the country’s revolution. An Egyptian blogger, Alaa Abd El Fattah, was quoted on Al Jazeera, – ‘the Ultras have played a more significant role than any political group on the ground.'” SFGate
‘Ultra’ soccer fans at heart of Egyptian protests
“‘Ultra’ soccer fans in Cairo long have had a reputation for street fighting. This past week, they’ve turned their fury from rival clubs and countries to the government. Alaa Abd El Fattah, a prominent Egyptian blogger, said in an interview seen on Al Jazeera, ‘The ultras – the football fan associations – have played a more significant role than any political group on the ground at this moment.'” SFGate
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 31, 2011
“It’s time, then, to wind down with our weekly selections of non-league highlights from the last seven days. Our first match this evening comes from Twerton Park, and it’s the Blue Square Premier match between Bath City and Wimbledon. Wimbledon are still chasing a place in the Football League and needed three points from their trip to the west country from this match. Bath, however, may still harbour hopes of a place in the play-offs at the end of the season and provided a stiff test for the team that has spent much of the last few months at the top of the table.” twohundredpercent
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 31, 2011
“2-0 down at half-time, Leonardo gave Giampaolo Pazzini his Inter debut and the game changed dramatically. Leonardo made various changes to his side, but kept the 4-3-1-2 shape he’s used since taking over as manager. Diego Milito returned upfront, Coutinho started as a trequartista. Delio Rossi used his usual 4-3-2-1 system with his expected eleven players – there can’t be many more consistent starting XIs in Europe than Palermo’s.” Zonal Marking
Heerenveen 1 –4 Groningen: A tale of the centre-backs
“Groningen beat Heerenveen for the second time this season. Not only does this mean a second victory over their main rivals after previously beating them 1-0 at home, it also means a second victory of Pieter Huistra over his predecessor Ron Jans. Three important points for Groningen as they maintain their current fourth spot in the Eredivisie which would guarantee Europa League football next season.” 11 tegen 11
Southampton 1-2 Manchester United: Ferguson’s switch back to a system with width turns game
“Manchester United yet again came back from an awful first half display to take the win. Nigel Adkins was without key playmaker Adam Lallana, so went for a fluid 4-3-1-2 / 4-3-3 system. Sir Alex Ferguson made numerous changes, and he also lined up with a 4-3-1-2.” Zonal Marking
Leave a Comment » | Football Manager, Holland, Inter Milan, Manchester United | Tagged: Holland, Inter Milan, Manchester United | Permalink
Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 31, 2011
Adoration of the Golden Calf, Jacopo Robusti
“For the first couple of seasons at Liverpool, Fernando Torres was the most complete striker I’d ever seen at the club; Ian Rush’s pace and finishing prowess, but with the ability to also beat defenders with skill and hit a wider variety of strikes. He seemed humble, hard-working and devoted to the club. He was perfect. While his goalscoring remained impressive last season, in spite of injuries and the team’s struggles, his attitude had changed from that of someone grateful to be at the club to that of someone who often looked moody and disinterested, and far too concerned with getting into verbal spats with opposition players. He’d explode into life, but also descend into sulks, as was noted many times. Being managed by Roy Hodgson only deepened his visible depression.” Tomkins Times
Football Weekly podcast: The Torres transfer and a bad romance
“Barry Glendenning makes his return to the Football Weekly pod as AC Jimbo and co look back on the all the action from the FA Cup and speculate wildly on the future of Fernando Torres and various other comings and goings on the last day of the transfer window.” Guardian – James Richardson
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 30, 2011
“Everton and Chelsea drew 1-1 for the second game running. David Moyes used Jack Rodwell behind Louis Saha, in a 4-4-1-1 system. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov replaced Leon Osman on the left of midfield. Carlo Ancelotti welcomed Frank Lampard back into the side, dropping Jon Obi Mikel and using Michael Essien as the holder. The rest of the side was as expected.” Zonal Marking
Japan 1-0 Australia: late extra time winner
“Tadanari Lee scored a superb volley – his first ever international goal – to win the 2011 Asian Cup. Alberto Zaccheroni made two changes to the side which beat South Korea on penalties. Shinji Kagawa was out injured, so Jungo Fujimoto started and Shinji Okazaki moved to the left. At the back, Maya Yoshida was available again after suspension, and replaced Daiki Iwamasa.” Zonal Marking
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 27, 2011
“Liverpool’s renaissance under Kenny Dalglish continued as victory over Fulham lifted them into their highest Barclays Premier League position of the season. It was not the most notable of performances, although there were plenty of spells of good football from the hosts, as John Pantsil’s second-half own goal divided the teams.” ESPN
Liverpool 1-0 Fulham – Video Highlights, Recap, and Match Stats – EPL
The 90th Minute
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 26, 2011
“Nat Lofthouse, the Lion of Vienna, will be laid to rest in Bolton, England, his hometown, on Wednesday. Thousands will line the streets, just as 23,000 inside the Bolton Wanderers’ stadium Monday night observed a silence in which you could almost hear a heartbeat. People too young to have seen Lofthouse play sobbed during the silence. It was as if he had been a grandfather to all of them — and folks who dismiss history as bunk, or who shy away from sentiment in sports or in life, had no place there.” NYT
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 26, 2011
“It would be wonderful to look back at Scottish football in the 1930’s and tell tales of Hearts and Hibs domination or Aberdeen and Motherwell winning the treble, but that’s just not the case. The final table from 1931 looks very much like the table today, Rangers winning the league by two points over their Glasgow rivals. It’s interesting to note, however, that the third team in Scotland’s second city, Partick Thistle, came fourth that year.” The Equaliser
Leave a Comment » | Celtic, Scotland, Scottish Cup, World Cup | Tagged: Celtic, Scotland, Scottish Cup, World Cup | Permalink
Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 25, 2011
“You’ll forgive me if I ramble a little this week, or even if I fail to tickle your interests, but I’ll try. I’ve been in England all week, and have only just come back. I missed the Valencia versus Malaga game on Saturday night (4-3) which sounded like a cracker, but I did manage to take in the Villarreal versus Real Sociedad game on Sunday evening (2-1), which was also very entertaining fare. In midweek, whilst Betis were doing the unthinkable and beating Barcelona, I was eating my takeaway curry and watching the FA Cup replay of Leeds v Arsenal on the hotel telly.” ESPN
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 25, 2011
“From BBC/football/blogs, Tim Vickery’s Blog, from 24 Jan., ‘Crunch time for Ronaldo and Corinthians‘. The map page shows the 38 clubs’ locations on the map. Flanking the map, grouped by their countries, are the clubs’ profile boxes. Each club’s profile box includes…home kit; crest; city location; stadium(s), and capacity; how the club qualified; national professional titles (with year of last title); total Copa Libertadores appearances (and how the club fared in their last Copa Liberrtadores appearance); and Copa Libertadores titles (with year of last title).” bill sports maps
Leave a Comment » | Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay | Tagged: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay | Permalink
Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 25, 2011
“Before the introduction into European football of ‘registration periods,’ more commonly known as ‘transfer windows,’ you may remember that players could pretty much come and go as they please, right up until the closing weeks of the season. However, times have changed and now, in England specifically, the summer window runs from the last day of the season right up until the 1st September. That’s all well and good; a long summer break to tamper with your squad and attempt, admittedly sometimes in vain, to improve upon the previous season. However, now is January. January in England and across Europe has it’s own mid-season transfer window. The question is why?” EPL Take
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 25, 2011
“Arsenal are winning over their doubters – and they are doing it in typical style. Match of the Day pundit and former Liverpool defender, Alan Hansen, has perennially shrugged off Arsenal’s title chances but now sees them as Manchester United’s closest challengers.” Arsenal Column
Leave a Comment » | Arsenal, Chelsea, FC Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United | Tagged: Arsenal, Chelsea, FC Liverpool, Football Manager, Manchester City, Manchester United | Permalink
Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 23, 2011
The Martyrdom of St Stephen, Annibale Carracci
“Kenny Dalglish picked up his first win in his second spell as Liverpool manager. Mick McCarthy made one change from the side that lost 4-3 to Manchester City last weekend – Karl Henry replaced David Jones in the centre of midfield. Kenny Dalglish also switched one midfielder – out went Jay Spearing, in came Christian Poulsen.” Zonal Marking
Wolves 0 – 3 Liverpool
“Liverpool’s revival under Kenny Dalglish is officially under way after he secured his first win since returning for his second spell as Reds boss with Wolves beaten 3-0 at Molineux.” ESPN
Dalglish reign begins in earnest
“‘It is a massive team,’ the newest convert to Kenny Dalglish’s cause said. Managers invariably appear defensive on the subject of their own signings and Rafa Benitez is no exception. While conceding there were “some mistakes” in his later recruitment, Liverpool’s last-but-one leader conformed to type, suggesting he left an enviable legacy.” ESPN
Liverpool FC Alive Again
“It took Kenny Dalglish just two away games to do what Roy Hodgson failed to achieve in ten: win convincingly away from home in the Premier League. Indeed, as is well known, the Reds only managed a single away victory under Hodgson in the league, and that was via a barely-deserved late winner at Bolton.” Tomkinst Tmes
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 23, 2011
“Below are MOTD highlights for all the EPL matches on January 22, 2011. The full edition of MOTD (with all highlights together) can be viewed here.” The 90th Minute
Leave a Comment » | Arsenal, Chelsea, FC Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United | Tagged: Arsenal, Chelsea, FC Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United | Permalink
Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 23, 2011
“Three thoughts after the U.S.’s 1-1 tie against Chile in a matchup of two B-squads in Carson, Calif., on Saturday night…” SI
U.S. vs. Chile instant analysis
“Join SI.com staff and writers (Grant Wahl, Jen Chang, Steve Davis, George Dorhmann and Avi Creditor) for live analysis and discussion of the U.S.men’s national team game against Chile on Saturday.” SI
Thoughts On USA’s 1-1 Draw With Chile On January 22, 2011
“The United States played their first international in several months and here’s a few of my thoughts on it. It was a 1-1 draw with Chile and as usual consisted of young players who have little experience with the National Team.” The 90th Minute
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
January 23, 2011
“Barcelona need a goal. Oleguer, that rare Marxist of a utility player, lumps the ball forward. It drops harmlessly onto the head of Ricardo Carv…actually, no; John Terry’s perennial sense of defensive propriety kicks in, and Barça are back in possession. Our protagonist can’t (yet) bring the ball under his spell, but Andrés Iniesta, a spritely 20-year-old with the hair to prove it, keeps his cool; tempting Terry out of the backline like an anaemic pied piper. A simple pass to Ronaldinho, and the scene is set.” Ghost Goal
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Posted by 1960s: Days of Rage
