Football

Read this and thought about the Sunderland Spurs match and how defensive Sunderland were. Sometimes you've just got to grow a pair, like Sandoval manager of Real Vallecano

Full article is here http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/09/spanish-football-la-liga-rayo-vallecano

Statistics show that the average player only gets two or three minutes contact with the ball every game. If those two minutes consist of kicking it as far away as possible, the frustration is even greater. So Sandoval encourages them to play, to enjoy it: he repeats over and over on the need to eradicate fear of failure. Players must dare to try things. They must dare to attack too.

Against Barcelona, one of Pep Guardiola's assistants whispered to him: "All these coaches who say they're going to come here and attack … none of them ever do. You lot actually did."

Conviction and convenience lie beneath that decision. Sandoval knows that if his side is likely to lose anyway – and he is realistic enough to know that against Madrid or Barcelona they are – he might as well create a good sensation around the game. The logic is simple: if you tell a player like José María Movilla, the 37-year-old club captain that he is going to play out the last years of his career defending and getting bored, he will go elsewhere. Tell him he will play a bit and, even when he loses, he will appreciate it. For other players, more of the ball means an increased market value. For the coach too: a losing coach who is brave gets feted more than the losing coach that defends, especially in Spain. Rayo lost 6-2 at the Bernabéu and the focus was on the six. The video he proudly paws over shows his side pushing Barcelona back into their own half.

So he pushes them forward. Dividing the pitch into seven lines, Sandoval builds a side that presses and runs; that throws men forward. There is no grey area, no caveats, it is all black and white. They score loads and concede loads. But they enjoy it. And they score more than they concede. It is like a bullfighter, he says: either you leave through the puerta grande – out the main gate and on the shoulders of the fans, a hero. Or you leave through the infirmary. Kill or be killed.

Real Vallecano are a proper football side with proper fans though. Sunderland are just shit.

They got a point against better side

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17652206#asset

great game includes save of the season

Dive of the season too

yeah that was pathetic

Read this and thought about the Sunderland Spurs match and how defensive Sunderland were. Sometimes you've just got to grow a pair, like Sandoval manager of Real Vallecano

I agree with the sentiment whole heartedly but unfortunately there is much more at stake in the Premiership than La Liga in terms of prize money. Unfortunately that means you end up with teams playing anti football hoping to take a point against better teams.

Prize Money for the 2009/2010 Premier League Season.

Chelsea - £16,000,000 (WINNERS)
Manchester United - £15,200,000
Arsenal - £14,400,000
Totenham Hotspur - £13,600,000
Manchester City - £12,800,000
Aston Villa - £12,000,000
Liverpool - £11,200,000
Everton - £10,400,000
Birmingham - £9,600,000
Blackburn - £8,800,000
Stoke - £8,000,000
Fulham - £7,200,000
Sunderland - £6,400,000
Bolton - £5,600,000
Wolves - £4,800,000
Wigan - £4,000,000
West Ham - £3,200,000
Burnley - £2,400,000
Hull - £1,600,000
Portsmouth - £800,000

Spain La Liga - Primera División

1st 3 million
2nd 2 million
3rd 1.25 million
4th 1 million
5th 750,000
6th 500,000
7th 400,000
8th 300,000
9th 200,000
10th 100,000
11th No prize
12th No prize
And so on....

Im not sure how accurate the figures are but there is a big difference. Portsmouth the year they finished bottom received more money than the team that finished fifth in La Liga (if the figures are accurate) also there are no dates but I think the point is valid.

That totally should have been a penalty to Norwich and should be 2 - 0

scuzzy tottenham. They dont deserve anything from this

The irony is that the phrase "parking the bus" was coined to describe Tottenham's tactics. Just wait to watch a No 73 grace the hallowed turf on Sunday. No doubt our resident troll will not be objecting then.

OTBC giving Spurs a real good go today.

Brad Friedel, has terrible taste in clothes but was a bloody good signing!

And yes, stonewall penalty!

Phwoar!! What a goal

Ok, time to park that bus norwich

Nothing more than they've deserved.
Could/Should've had two pens as well!

What is in the tea at Goodison?

The irony is that the phrase "parking the bus" was coined to describe Tottenham's tactics.

..coined by the same cunt that subsequently parked the bus when footballing teams turn up to play?!

^^ Goals! Back of the net that's four now. Even Anichebe is getting in on the act.

Pisti's going to explode!

Third penalty claim for norwich

Pisti's going to explode!

Looking forward to it and pointing out that even Anichebe has scored twice as many goals as Carroll.

Pisti's going to explode!

He may surprise us.

No, he won't. He will explode.

Lol tottenham

Norwich drawn level with us...It's lookin up I tells ya!

The big 15?

Well in Norwich. Spurs never got near. Without Parker in the middle they looked woeful.

Weren't Spurs like 13 points clear of us a while ago? LOLSPURS

Spurs are the form side of the moment.

Remedial.