Official Premier League 2009/10 thread

[Krone]

Watched my first soccer game today in the form of Chelsea FC against Birmingham. Soccer is slowly becoming one of my favorite sports and I find myself sitting down and watching it every night on the Fox Soccer Network here in America. So far, it's easy to say that my favorite team is Chelsea so coming home from college today and getting the chance to see them in action was pretty sweet, but I was saddened by no Didier Drogba (who is my favorite player with David Villa coming in a close second). Anyways, I felt the need to just come in here and ask a question.

If teams are tied at the end of a match (like say an F.A. Cup match), they said that they replay the entire match again? They don't go to a shootout?

[Thrilla]

Two in a row for the mighty Rovers! Kalinic scores again! Things are looking up.

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

Watched my first soccer game today in the form of Chelsea FC against Birmingham. Soccer is slowly becoming one of my favorite sports and I find myself sitting down and watching it every night on the Fox Soccer Network here in America. So far, it's easy to say that my favorite team is Chelsea so coming home from college today and getting the chance to see them in action was pretty sweet, but I was saddened by no Didier Drogba (who is my favorite player with David Villa coming in a close second). Anyways, I felt the need to just come in here and ask a question.

If teams are tied at the end of a match (like say an F.A. Cup match), they said that they replay the entire match again? They don't go to a shootout?

In some rounds of the FA cup (Usually the earlier stages if im not mistaken), the match is replayed should the 2 teams draw, if the replay is tied then it goes to extra time and then pens.

[Krone]

Aye, thanks for that. I found it a bit odd that they would replay the entire match, but to each their own I guess.

[Baddar]

Well, every round in the FA Cup is replayed up until the semi's/final, which then goes to a penalty shootout if the scores are still level.

In league games though, it's just one point each in the table for the teams involved when it's a draw.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The draw and repay situation is great. If for example a team from a lower league has to play a Premiership team in the cup...

If the smaller team manage to draw the game at their stadium the replay means they get to go to the big team's stadium and get a large amount of money from gate receipts etc.

If the smaller team play at the bigger team's stadium first and draw then they get to take the bigger team back to THEIR stadium. Their pitch is probably in much worse condition than the bigger team and the crowd will heckle loads and quite often big teams will hate going to play smaller teams at their stadium.

[stokeriño]

I've decided that since I've got barely any other Chelsea tickets to buy this month (only the FA Cup game with Cardiff), that I'm going to branch out and actually travel to some away games for once.

My experience of other grounds is minute. Ignoring Wembley, I've only been to Craven Cottage and Loftus Road (the latter being back when QPR were still in the Prem). I couldn't have managed anywhere that was less 'away' from Stamford Bridge if I tried.

Of course it's always a bit tricky getting away tickets because the allocation is so small - 60% to season ticket holders, only 40% to members like myself - so I'll just have to try and get on the website as soon as they become available.

So this spring, I shall be attempting to book trips to Molineux and Fratten Park. Would have considered Goodison Park too if the match weren't midweek.

Hopefully I'll be able to go to some more (that is, more decent ) grounds next year when I shall hopefully have a season ticket.

[Thrilla]

Should definitely try and get to Fratten Park, probably the last opportunity you'll get >_>

[stokeriño]

Surprisingly, that hadn't occured to me.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Shame that match won't happen then :/

[stokeriño]

Well, they've got...just over 5 weeks to survive.

You're right. That is asking a lot. >_>

[Hobo]

Aye, thanks for that. I found it a bit odd that they would replay the entire match, but to each their own I guess.

In the overall history of the competition it is rather new. The final would've been replayed in the event of a draw right up to 1993.

[therockbox]

FROM: BIGAVRAM@POMPEY.NET

TO: ALL PLAYING STAFF

Can players be reminded that pack lunches will be required for future home matches due to the canteen being closed for refurbishment.

Also players are now required to take their own kit home for washing.

Further to this, any player willing to drive up to Manchester for Sundays game will be guaranteed a starting place.

Cheers.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Funnily enough, I heard that the PFC website had shut down because they couldn't afford to pay the site admins.

Looks like someone has coughed up... knowing that the second that the website goes... there isn't anything to show potential owners ¬_¬

[9 to 5]

Fratton Park is a strange, 'old style' stadium so yeah it would be better an experince than most of the identikit stadiums up and down the country. Just pray it isn't windy that day. >_>

[Hobo]

Rio Ferdinand gets banned for 4 games for violent conduct and a 'frivolous appeal'.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

The 2-0 win over Fulham was Gareth Bale's first Premier league victory in 23 starts. Brilliant. I forgot he hadn't won any recently...

[Dynamite]

John Terry today faces serious questions about his role as England captain after he was named as having an affair with the ex-girlfriend of team-mate Wayne Bridge.

The Chelsea skipper is alleged to have cheated behind his wife's back with Vanessa Perroncel.

The England captain married Toni Poole in 2007, while Bridge is understood to have split with French-born underwear model Perroncel at the end of last year.

Terry had won a gagging order stopping the public learning about the affair but the injunction was lifted today.

Terry and Manchester City's Bridge both played together at Chelsea and are current team-mates with England. The revelations will make it increasingly difficult for Terry to retain the support of the England dressing room going into this summer's World Cup.

Terry's so-called ‘super-injunction’ was granted by a High Court judge under human rights laws. He had successfully claimed that exposing his alleged infidelity would be a breach of his right to a ‘private and family life’.

Wayne Bridge and Vanessa Perroncel

The judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, lifted the injunction on Friday afternoon, saying: 'I do not consider that an interim injunction is necessary or proportionate having regard to the level of gravity of the interference with the private life of the applicant that would occur in the event that there is a publication of the fact of the relationship, or that [the applicant] can rely in this case on the interference with the private life of anyone else.

Mr Justice Tugendhat granted the interim order to lawyers acting for LNS - as Terry is identified on court papers - at a private hearing in London last Friday. He said that it should remain in force until he delivered his decision on the application, which he gave in writing today.

The order covered the fact of a specified personal relationship between Terry, who is married with twins, and the named person, details about it including certain specific consequences, information leading to the identification of Terry or the other person and any photographs relating to it.

Terry and Bridge

Giving his reasons for refusing to renew the injunction, the judge said: 'I accept that the information sought to be protected is not in the public domain in the sense that there is nothing left to be protected.

'But the evidence is that there has been wide circulation amongst those involved in the sport in question, including agents and others, and not just amongst those directly engaged in the sport.

'If the injunction ought otherwise be granted, I would not refuse it on this basis. But the fact that the information has become as widely available to so many people, means that an injunction is less necessary or proportionate than would otherwise be the case.

'Further, if - as I think likely - the real concern of the applicant in this case is the effect of publication upon the sponsorship business, then damages would be an adequate remedy if Terry succeeds at trial.'

Toni Poole

It is the latest scandal to emerge surrounding Terry. In December, he was exposed for organising a secret tour of Chelsea’s training ground, apparently in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment that was made in the staff canteen.

Terry, who was accompanied by well-known ticket tout Tony Bruce, told undercover reporters from the News of the World that the arrangements for the tour had to be kept secret for fear that the club would ‘find out’.

‘If anything ever goes wrong, then you say “John didn’t know nothing about that”,’ Bruce told the reporters who secretly filmed the visit.

That incident cam shortly after Sportsmail revealed that Terry had enlisted the help of a marketing company, Riviera Entertainment Limited, to cash in on the England captain’s armband, prompting one FA official to say he had made himself look ‘greedy’.

‘John Terry is available to create effective brand awareness and endorse products and services globally,’ said the email that used the official FIFA World Cup logo without permission and, much to the surprise of Stamford Bridge officials, used an image of Terry in a Chelsea strip.

It then reminded potentially interested parties that ‘John Terry is: British sporting hero; England’s football captain; World Cup 2018 ambassador; Football icon; Dad of the year 2008; Voted as one of the World’s most influencial (sic) people.’

Even though Riviera claimed to have a contractual agreement with him, Terry issued a statement saying the email had been circulated without his permission.

In March last year, Terry's mum and mother-in-law were allegedly caught shoplifting £800-worth of clothes and food from Marks & Spencer and Tesco.

There was further family scandal in November when Terry's father was caught selling drugs. Ted Terry allegdly organised a deal to supply undercover News of the World reporters with cocaine.

Along with his two Premier League medals, Terry also won the 2008 Dad of the Year award after a survey carried out by Daddies Sauce.

Ouch. Don't see this one ending well for him.

[Baddar]

I don't see how shagging someone else will have any effect on him being England captain, to be honest.

[METALMAN]

Wayne Bridge's ex is a piece and a half