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Post by localnative on Dec 9, 2015 18:54:01 GMT
ParticipantsMrAndyJay@djed Беннеange postecoslampRound oneThis part is all about the opening statements. Points will be awarded for good reasoning as to why yours is the best comeback, creativity and passion. No points will be awarded for challenging your opponents choice or for a simple timeline of events. You all have 48hrs to post your opening statement in this thread. If you all post your opening statement before the 48hrs are up, we will move onto round two. What is the best ever footballing comeback?
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Post by The Quito Diet on Dec 9, 2015 19:08:57 GMT
In the history books my choice will probably be overlooked in years to come as over two legs we still went out. But for one night, for one glorious night in London, my team beat the best team the world has possibly ever seen.
This isn't an underdog story, a David vs Goliath clash, a giant killing, this is just a good team overcoming massive adversity to come from behind and beat a great team.
I'll go into more detail in the following rounds about just how poorly matched we were, a factor that makes the end result all the more impressive. But for now, I'll settle with introducing my choice with my favourite ever football clip;
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Post by Maskya Yoshida on Dec 9, 2015 21:02:02 GMT
0 points to Djed
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Dan
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Post by Dan on Dec 9, 2015 21:40:46 GMT
What's this shite
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Post by localnative on Dec 10, 2015 18:36:56 GMT
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Post by The Quito Diet on Dec 10, 2015 22:38:22 GMT
inb4 winner by default.
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Post by ange postecoslamp on Dec 11, 2015 0:21:18 GMT
Ite so that lengthy PM I sent you was my part 1 but I can't find it
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Post by localnative on Dec 11, 2015 0:37:32 GMT
Picture; 2010. Harry Redknapp's bizarre jowls are still loveable, his taxes above reproach, and a converted leftback called Gareth still has a terrible faux-hawk. Despite the apparent self-sabotage of starting Peter Crouch upfront for several games, Spurs had qualified for the Champions League the season prior. They get drawn into a group with FC Twente, the Dutch Champions, Werder Bremen, who laugh Spurs off as being useless and consequently finish bottom of the group and have not returned to the CL since (#notbitter), and treble holders Inter Milan. Down one miserable Portuguese man from their glory season, Inter are nonetheless a formidable prospect with Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto'o, a 12 year old called Phillipe Coutinho, Julio Cesar back when Julio Cesar was good, and "best right back in the world" and part-time online Irishman; Maicon. This side proves why they won everything put in front of them when, after about 4 minutes, they're 4-0 up on account of how Heurelho Gomes used to be a thing - until he gets sent off. Upon further inspection; a potato vaguely resembling Alan Hutton was discovered placed at right-back. This team had finished above Manchester City, may I just remind you. Now Spurs fans, not usually taken to melodrama or overstating negativity, are convinced that this is a game that could only possibly now end in the heat death of the known universe, or, even worse, a double figure scoreline. Step in aforementioned converted left back/ fauxhawk sporter Gareth Bale. Gareth Bale is fast and played fullback at Southampton before moving to a North London club and therefore, as per the Walcott Law, is now a winger. He's alright at it. In the next 45 minutes, he will become the greatest player in the history of football. 52 minutes. Bale touches the ball between Maicon and the 41 year-old Javier Zanetti. I say 'touches'; he punts it about 30 yards downfield. This is ok because Gareth Bale, as we've established, is fast. In fact, he's bloody fast. He eludes Zanetti's zimmer frame and burns past Maicon before smashing a low drive across Julio Cesar into the far corner. 4-1. Some football ensues. Tom Huddlestone touches the ball multiple times. This team finished above Manchester City. 90 minutes. Bale collects the ball on the left flank and tries to nutmeg Maicon. It doesn't work, because Maicon is the Best Right Back in the World TM. The ball bounces to Huddlestone. Huddlestone threads a beautiful through ball to Bale. Bale runs right at Zanetti, and then past him, before sliding the exact same shot as before past Cesar. 4-2. Surely not. SURELY NOT. 91 minutes. Aaron Lennon has the ball. THIS TEAM ETC ETC. He eludes a defender. Maybe it's Lucio. I don't know. It's someone that Aaron Lennon, even in 2010, has no right to evade. But he does. Then, stricken with visions of being loaned to Everton, he realises where he is and passes sideways to Bale. Bale looks at the ball for 3 and a half minutes before doing the same across-goal-far-bottom-corner-drive as the last two. Jesus man, get some originality already. 4-3. Nahhhh; we can't. Can we? Full Time. 4-3 Inter. Spurs get 0 points, but by the morning, Bale is worth £70 billion and never looked back throughout his meteoric rise to being the most expensive transfer in history. He also breaks Maicon in the return fixture as Spurs win 3-1 in their greatest ever game. Fahkin. Beyootiful. Sahn. Triffic.
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Бенне
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Post by Бенне on Dec 11, 2015 1:40:05 GMT
I'll do mine first thing tomorrow morning lads.
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Бенне
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Post by Бенне on Dec 11, 2015 12:52:22 GMT
Granted they were never the most fashionable team of all time, and they were perennial Premier League strugglers during their time in the top flight bar their miraculous first season under Paul Jewell of all people, but for me, one of the greatest comebacks in Football History occurred back in 2012 as Wigan came from 5 points adrift of safety to stay in the Premier League, winning 5 of their last 6 games to stay up with a game to spare.
What makes this the greatest act of escapology then? Why is this any more valid than West Brom's escape a few years previous, the only team bottom at Christmas to have escaped the drop. The answer, I think, is twofold: first and foremost, their fixture list. During their incredible run of form to take their points total from 22 in mid-march to 43 at the end of the season, this plucky team managed to beat Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal and Champions League chasing Newcastle, as well as taking Chelsea to the limit in a narrow 2-1 loss. The second reason is down to the manager, Roberto Martinez, and his role in engineering an upturn in fortunes. Switching from Wigan's usual 4-3-3 formation to a 3-4-3 may have been an act of desperation but in the new system, his squad, blessed with world class players in Jean Beausejour and Steve Gohouri, both future Ballon d'or winners (probably), Martinez turned into his team into the prototypical counter attacking outfit, leading to results no-one could have foreseen.
Sadly (for some), Wigan were relegated the following season after narrowly failing to replicate their heroics of the previous season, but the impact of this escape cannot be understated. Thanks to their survival, Wigan were able to put together a successful FA Cup run the following season on the back of the financial benefits of another year in the top flight, giving the club it's first silverware of note for as long as I care to remember. Without this "great escape", this would have been far more unlikely to happen.
So in summary: Yes, Wigan are unfashionable, yes, there have been greater points margins overturned to ensure survival and yes, it may not go down in modern footballing folklore, but for me, this end of season deserves recognition, and is to me, a worthy entrant into the discussion of best modern footballing comeback, not only for it's impressiveness as an achievement in it's own right, but for it's role in providing Wigan fans a brief moment to celebrate the following year at Wembley, before realising they do indeed have to return home to Wigan, plunging their diehard fanbase of 20+ into severe depression.
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Post by sween on Dec 11, 2015 13:30:25 GMT
we were 7 points adrift with 6 games left. beat chelsea, man utd and drew with man city all away. chelsea had never lost a home game under mourinho til then. man city dropped points in 1 other home game that entire season. and we were bottom at christmas as well. AND WE EVEN STAYED UP THE SEASON AFTER SO FUCK OFF BENNEH
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Post by Maskya Yoshida on Dec 11, 2015 13:35:04 GMT
Can CosLamp be disqualified straight away considering his choice wasn't even a comeback.
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Бенне
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Post by Бенне on Dec 11, 2015 13:44:00 GMT
we were 7 points adrift with 6 games left. beat chelsea, man utd and drew with man city all away. chelsea had never lost a home game under mourinho til then. man city dropped points in 1 other home game that entire season. and we were bottom at christmas as well. AND WE EVEN STAYED UP THE SEASON AFTER SO FUCK OFF BENNEH I had to pick one! Should probably have mentioned that alongside the West Brom one though, so soz.
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Post by MrAndyJay on Dec 11, 2015 14:19:01 GMT
When it comes to great comebacks, scoring two goals in injury time to win the Champions League final, in my opinion, takes some beating. However, when I said "United in '99", it wasnt about Teddy Sheringham winning the Champions League. It wasnt about Man United winning without Scholes and Keane, it wasnt about being 2-0 down after ten minutes in the second leg of their semi-final away to Juventus and winning 3-2. It's about so much more.
Let me start by mentioning the comebacks I didnt go with. Man City's last minute title win, you know the one. West Brom bottom at Christmas. Shelbourne v Hadjuk 2004, I dunno, I guess you had to be there. Last, and by no means least, and by far the hardest to leave out, Germany 1 Rep of Ireland 1.
So, United in '99. What makes it such a great comeback?
In 1985, following the Heysel stadium disaster, UEFA banned English clubs from all European competition. Five years passed before they were allowed back. It's been famously said that a week is a long time in football, five years, that is an eternity.
In the ten or so years before the ban English clubs were the dominant force of Europe. In '75, '77-'82, '84 & '85, English clubs featured in the European Cup Final, winning on seven occasions. '76, '81 & '84 saw English teams win the UEFA Cup. There are no two ways about it, English football was king. After the ban was lifted, the best English clubs could manage was the Cup Winners Cup, the absolute runt of the litter and not something many people look back on with great fondness. It was dumped in 1999. Since then, English clubs have featured in the final of the Champions League seven times, winning three, one of which was an all-English final, and the Europa League final on five occasions, winning twice.
We all know the moments clearly, Giggs from the edge of the area, Sheringham pokes home with Kahn sprawled and claiming offside. Beckham, onto Sheringhams head, poked home by Solksjaer. Schmeichels cartwheel, Fergie's grey suit. It's a priceless moment in Manchester United's history, and a priceless moment in football history but what is more significant to me is that it broke a 14 year streak for English football and brought it back from the wilderness. If five years is an eternity, fourteen years is as close to forever as you're gonna get. The record books will say Man United won it in 1999, but English football was the real winner.
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Post by localnative on Dec 11, 2015 15:40:54 GMT
Round TwoYou've got roughly 48hrs to hash it out and argue why your comeback is superior to the others. You should use this phase to expand on your own points as well as picking holes in your competitors arguments. The phase will end 7:30pm on Sunday MrAndyJay @djed Бенне ange postecoslamp
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