As many of you know, I am quite passionate about my childhood, youth, teen-to-collegiate, pro, and semi-pro futebol/football career. Now being a retired player (goalkeeper), I am now an avid fan of my beloved sport: The World’s Most Beautiful Game. In the U.S.A., we often (mis-)call it “soccer.” But America is slowly but surely coming around to all its proper terms, descriptions, tactics, strategies, management, styles of play, and better understandings of why it is hands-down, the most beautiful entertainment a fan can experience in life! That is no exaggeration.
Unless you’ve lived it, breathed it, played it, cried over it, sang with it, and/or attended world-class matches in Europe, South America, Africa, and North America (FIFA World Cup 1994) packed with dancing, singing, rabid fans, you will never quite know or understand. I’ve done it all in futebol/soccer. My two most memorable games I attended were Brasil vs. Holland in Dallas, Texas, among singing, dancing, instrument playing, wonderfully fun Brazilian fans. The other match I attended was in Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, watching CR Flamengo vs. Botafoga or Vasco da Gama, can’t remember now. What made that game a spectacle of fine art in football was Flamengo’s #10 midfielder, Zico. I could write another entire blog just on his phenomenal talent his entire career. But that’s for another time.
This page is for a good footballing friend of mine, so he can somehow link-up or navigate to my footy blog much easier, because he seems to be a bit WordPress dysfunctional and cannot seem to save or remember my actual footballing web-blog URL. Yes, I know. Don’t ask. He’s a crazy Liverpool FC fanatic. You know how they are. That should reveal enough. 🤭
So… for him, and any others, here’s my quick link to my Footballing blog:
https://worldsmostbeautifulgame.wordpress.com/
Go check it out if you’d like. We have fun over there talking smack and cheering for our teams… and of course, the beauty and excitement of the best sport on the planet!
“Football-Soccer: The language the world speaks fluently.”
Ah ..it now seems to be working.
It was probably me all along.
Can’t trust them damn Scousers!
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😄 Excellent then! 👍🏻
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And Mo Salah reached the 200 goal milestone.
What a player!
😄
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That is a great milestone, and well deserved for Salah! I didn’t get to see that goal against Palace. It was on far too early for me here and that previous day & night with Mom and everything I do alone utterly wore me out to the point I slept in very very late. If I remember, I woke (still exhausted) about 11:36am our time. 🥴
Nevertheless, Mo is a joy to watch, even for this Gunner. 😉
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feeling happy?
😊
2-1
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More like VERY relieved. 😄
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We’ll see after tomorrow. But they have a good goal difference. Rice’s goal was a cracker!
Emily said I must, “Tell Dwain I am not happy!”
We were all watching and after Haveertz scored Celeste (my missus) left the lounge and went to the kitchen.
She gets very uptight watching important games and has vowed she refuses to watch tomorrow’s game.
This is turning out to be one helluva season.
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Hahaha! 😂 Tension running high across all continents it seems. It’s looking like a 3-horse race now to the end, all three in serious contention. Love it!
Tell Celeste that it will be okay. The Gooners/Gunners will see it through and win the League. 😈🤭
I am very much looking forward to tomorrow’s match. I predict the Reds will pull if off by one goal. 👍
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Ark, gotcha a comment over in my “The Chatter Box” page on my footy/soccer blog. 😉
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Where? Can’t find the bloody page?
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😄 Sheesh! Why I gotta do this for you all the bloody time Ark!!! 😉 Ugh, here you go, again…
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Have the Pool and the Gunners thrown in the towel?
What in the name of all things holy is happening?
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It was a bad, sad weekend for us wasn’t it Arky?
I threw up my arms/hands and said, “Let’s just give Man City the Premiership now. It isn’t like they have won it enough, like their 7th or 8th title? And 4th, I think in the last 4-years?” Geeezzzz. 😞
I couldn’t get over how many times your Reds should’ve scored; like… 2-3 goals? And my Gooners couldn’t seem to challenge Emiliano Martínez (GK) Villa with any big goals, just 1-2 good saves. So frustrating.
A miserable weekend for us both my Friend. 😒
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Indeed. I went into a funk after the Atalanta match and didn’t even watch the Palace game.
I realized it has become a bit like an addiction…not good.
I need to step away and breath some air?
😊
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Yes. This high level of football MUST be so incredibly hard for players and managers, especially if you are also playing in UEFA tournaments mid-week. I honestly don’t see how players do it with only 2-3 days rest. It has to be insane on their bodies and minds.
No wonder Jürgen Klopp badly needs a BREAK from it all. The “expectations” on clubs and managers is so effin high, ESPECIALLY when you bring home the Champions League trophy! Then you are expected (demanded?) to do more and more. Crazy.
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https://www.facebook.com/share/r/7JA6nyf8KA3eDUmJ/
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OMG Ark, I used to love watching Fawlty Towers back in the early 80’s! My Dad loved it as well. We never missed an episode when I was back home in Dallas from university.
This little clip of Fawlty satire is wonderful! I have very little compassion for the plight of Man City right now. 🤭 They’ve won enough trophies, Champions League, and the Premier League and others. It is about time that “dynasty” comes to an end, yes?
Now I want to go watch all Fawlty Towers episodes again. 😄
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Can you believe it, on the first viewing I failed to notice the title. Put it down to poor eyesight or old age. When I saw it this made it even funnier.
City have just put one past Leicester.
I shall tune in and watch the rest.
All the absolute best of everything my friend.
Everyone here: Doug, Celeste and Emily send you and yours love and best wishes.
Let’s all hope for the most marvelous 2025.
And I genuinely hope Arsenal do very, very well…. and come second.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Thank you Ark. 😊 And all the best to you, Celeste, and Em, and for a GRAND 2025. 🎇🎆🎉🎊🥳
And let’s raise a pint to the Gunners overtaking the Reds in the last half of the season next year! 😁🍻
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As for your Gunners… Ems suggested I share this with you…
🤣🤣
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I was thinking that some crazy L’pool fans dubbed in “I’m dreaming of a Red Christmas” or “…dreaming of an Anfield Christmas.” 😉
Or perhaps, “I’m dreaming of a failed Championship.“
Nevertheless, Em has great taste in holiday music. 👏
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It is probably more applicable over here where the average xmas temp is around 32degrees and snow is about as likely as me being picked as the next Liverpool coach… Or Arsenal winning the league this year.
Brentford for the Gunners this evening. Prediction?
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At Brentford it could be a tough match, so I’ll say 2 – 1 Gunners for the win, or a win by one goal. 🙂 My schedule says not tonight but for me tomorrow morning, 11:30am. Has the fixture and opening whistle been changed? 🤔
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It is tomorrow. I misread the time on the epl app on my phone.
It is 2200 SA time.
The match is at Brentford. Could be tricky. I certainly would not bet my house on a Gunners victory.
We shall see….
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😄 “Oh ye of little faith.” 🤞😉
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I have LOTS of faith. I am an atheist after all. I just don’t have much for Arsenal.
😈😈😈
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3-1!
Good for your Gunners…only six points behind and months and months to go.
And so the fun begins.
😊
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Didn’t get free to watch much of the game so will watch the replay today and watch it in its entirety. 🙂
Yes, I hope we can make it thrilling right up to the last match-day. However, as you might have heard, Saka is out for 2-3 mons with a torn hamstring, I believe? 😒
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Yeah. That is bad news. Gomez is sidelined with a hamstring problem as well.
😞
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