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Anyone into Soccer / Football (as its known outside the US...lol)

RCNAL

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I enjoy watching football (calling it by its correct term lol mjlol). I did used to play when I was younger, but now I just watch the occasional match when I can. Favourite team are Spurs, I used to live close to the stadium. What are your favourite football team(s)?
My screen name is a huge hint. :) Not Tottenham, bro, fah real?! Three clubs I hate in descending order:

1. Manchester United
2. Tottenham (very close to #1)
3. Chelsea

I don't like Everton simply because I heard they made it a point of not having black players when John Barnes was big at Liverpool. Whenever I have met black Brits over a certain age (40 or so), they are often Liverpool fans because of John Barnes. A lot of blacks support Tottenham though I've seen. Explain why? Is there a black area near the club? Or some other generic reason? Just curious.
 

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My screen name is a huge hint. :) Not Tottenham, bro, fah real?! Three clubs I hate in descending order:

1. Manchester United
2. Tottenham (very close to #1)
3. Chelsea

I don't like Everton simply because I heard they made it a point of not having black players when John Barnes was big at Liverpool. Whenever I have met black Brits over a certain age (40 or so), they are often Liverpool fans because of John Barnes. A lot of blacks support Tottenham though I've seen. Explain why? Is there a black area near the club? Or some other generic reason? Just curious.
Chelsea will always be my favourite when it comes to football club that's got a good affiliation with Blacks and Jose Mourinho will always be my favourite Manager. This guy loves black players like nothing else and he's made a good career in having great players from them. Players like Samuel Eto, Drogba, Tammy Abraham and so much more.
 

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Mourinho is gone. The team that has a good reputation of playing blacks from way back. Liverpool when it was very, very good started a black player I mentioned above.
Arsenal I think was the first team to have an all black starting team other than the goalkeeper and was playing more blacks on average than any other team as far as back as the 80s and 90s.

Chelsea wasn't really known for that. I don't really think Chelsea had on average more black players than most sides even with Mourinho...I think.
 

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The Arsenal vs Tottenham game was good. The red card killed off any chance Tottenham would come back. Without the sending off , Arsenal would probably have won (leading 2-1 at the time) but it would have been dicey.

The Manchester Derby will be good. I hate Man Utd so want them to lose.
 

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    My screen name is a huge hint. :) Not Tottenham, bro, fah real?! Three clubs I hate in descending order:

    1. Manchester United
    2. Tottenham (very close to #1)
    3. Chelsea

    I don't like Everton simply because I heard they made it a point of not having black players when John Barnes was big at Liverpool. Whenever I have met black Brits over a certain age (40 or so), they are often Liverpool fans because of John Barnes. A lot of blacks support Tottenham though I've seen. Explain why? Is there a black area near the club? Or some other generic reason? Just curious.
    Your screen name was a huge hint! (full disclosure, took me longer than I'd care to admit to clock it).
    Tottenham is a predominantly black area, and the stadium is in the heart of it.
     

    Terrymist

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    Mourinho is gone. The team that has a good reputation of playing blacks from way back. Liverpool when it was very, very good started a black player I mentioned above.
    Arsenal I think was the first team to have an all black starting team other than the goalkeeper and was playing more blacks on average than any other team as far as back as the 80s and 90s.

    Chelsea wasn't really known for that. I don't really think Chelsea had on average more black players than most sides even with Mourinho...I think.
    Regarding Chelsea, their reputation with Black people during the 70's and 80's was terrible for good reason. Chelsea FC fans had proven links with Combat 18 (C18). The fans were called Headhunters and regularly racially abused black players. They even abused black players that played for them 'Goals by black players don't count'
     

    RCNAL

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    I know about the Head Hunters. Also the Inner City Firm of West Ham was it? The Yid Army (hate using that anti-semitic term) of Tottenham I think. Other hooligan / firms as its called, right?

    I was also known by that screen name to a few friends because I used it in a discussion as kids and they didn't know what it meant...lol

    Anyway, I didn't know that about the Spurs. Wasn't the area Jewish or whatever? They were known as a 'Jewish' club and sorta, kinda still are, correct? (Levy their CEO maybe?)

    I visited London (and other areas) a few times and the interesting thing to me was the blacks in south London (Brixton, Streatham, etc) seemed largely Arsenal supporters even though the club is technically in north London (Islington). In London as you know there are many clubs large and small and most people support the club geographically closest to them. Never understood the London Man Utd fans other than they were glory hunters.

    Coincidentally in that article you attached (Thanks) they are playing Arsenal. The book (and to some extent the movie), Fever Pitch is one of my favorites.
     

    Terrymist

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    I know about the Head Hunters. Also the Inner City Firm of West Ham was it? The Yid Army (hate using that anti-semitic term) of Tottenham I think. Other hooligan / firms as its called, right?
    Bro, you know your stuff! You might be interested to see one of the ICF top boys: West Ham Hooligans ICF - Football Hooligans

    Amazon product
    View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001D07QNU?ie=UTF8&tag=footballhool-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B001D07QNU


    Ex-hooligan says West Ham and Millwall should ban away fans to stop derby chaos
    Anyway, I didn't know that about the Spurs. Wasn't the area Jewish or whatever? They were known as a 'Jewish' club and sorta, kinda still are, correct? (Levy their CEO maybe?)
    The area of Stamford Hill, which borders the area of Tottenham, is Jewish. And yes, they are still considered a Jewish club. How the Yid Army came about is an issue. Because Jewish football fans gravitated towards watching Spurs, when fans of other clubs came to what is now called Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they made hissing sounds in reference to the gas chambers used in the Jewish Holocaust at the end of WW2. They also used the term "yid" as an insult towards Spurs fans; Chelsea and West Ham fans were notorious for doing that. What non Jewish Spurs did was to co-opt the term to mark solidarity with Jewish Spurs fans.
    the interesting thing to me was the blacks in south London (Brixton, Streatham, etc) seemed largely Arsenal supporters even though the club is technically in north London (Islington).
    Arsenal used to be based in South London. Historically, they are a South London club, which Spurs fans make jokes about. (Full disclosure, Arsenal moved to North London over 90 years ago).
    Coincidentally in that article you attached (Thanks) they are playing Arsenal. The book (and to some extent the movie), Fever Pitch is one of my favorites.
    You're welcome! I've still yet to read or see Fever Pitch though. As much as I watch football, I dont usually watch movies on football. I might give it chance.
     

    Terrymist

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    I know about the Head Hunters. Also the Inner City Firm of West Ham was it? The Yid Army (hate using that anti-semitic term) of Tottenham I think. Other hooligan / firms as its called, right?
    Also, you may have heard about the film "Football Factory". That is based on the culture and what some firms get up to.
     

    RCNAL

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    I wouldn't suggest south Londoners, specifically blacks from the Brixton area and communities at the end of the Victoria line support The Arsenal because they were once Woolwich Arsenal whose factory was in south London. They moved well over a century ago. Locally they might go for Charlton Athletic possibly. Maybe Millwall but they are known for being fairly racist but one never knows. I'd say Crystal Palace would be the one club closest to them they'd be supporting.

    My guess is Arsenal is big there because The Arsenal had a lot of black players for a long time. It's also a reason Irish fans liked them over a certain age. Arsenal had a few Irish players (legend Liam Brady the most famous and most games played, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton) at a time there were IRA bombings in London and it wasn't popular to have Irish players on the team. Blacks have been playing in decent numbers as starters in the '80s. So, that's why guess. But its only a guess.

    I've seen most of the movies. I've also been at the old Highbury a year or so before it was torn down for Ashburton Grove (I refuse to call it The Emirates). The only way I got away with wearing an Arsenal shirt in some areas (such as King's Cross on a Saturday where several clubs fans are at the station) is my American accent. I can pretend I just picked up the shirt somewhere. Once they hear the accent, Its like 'he's a tourist'

    I have a crazy story one of these days at a pub in Toxteth, Liverpool. That is white hood AF, council estates I think is your version of the projects. No blacks allowed there but I didn't know or care. I was American so I got a pass. They were like (in that scouse accent) 'what the fook are yi doing hear mate?' They showed love though...only because I was a 'yank' and presumably lost. Found out what 'scouse pie' was.
     

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    The Arsenal vs Tottenham game was good. The red card killed off any chance Tottenham would come back. Without the sending off , Arsenal would probably have won (leading 2-1 at the time) but it would have been dicey.

    The Manchester Derby will be good. I hate Man Utd so want them to lose.
    Manchester United was a team of mockery in the Derby. The result of the match showed how better their neighbours have progressed better than them. Every United fan must be ashamed of the match.
     

    Terrymist

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    Locally they might go for Charlton Athletic possibly. Maybe Millwall but they are known for being fairly racist but one never knows.
    Charlton are racist. Millwall are more well known as being racist due to documentaries: BBC - Panorama: Hooliganism: Football's Ugly Tradition
    But if you speak to locals, they will say both Charlton and Millwall are racist.

    My guess is Arsenal is big there because The Arsenal had a lot of black players for a long time.
    Also the black players at Arsenal did not come across as all "kumbaya" and felt no way about standing up for themselves: Former Arsenal star details KO punch on opponent that landed him nine-game ban
    That is white hood AF, council estates I think is your version of the projects.
    Thats right, a lot of council estates are rough as hell. I did grow up on a council estate.
    They showed love though...only because I was a 'yank' and presumably lost.
    Thats cool. As someone who has spent extensive time in the north of England (mainly Yorkshire and the East Midlands), I would hesitate going into any of those pubs. Things are liable to kick off very quickly.
     

    RCNAL

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    Very surprised Arsenal eat Chelsea at the Bridge. I read where a lot of pundits are trying to make a title race of City and Arsenal. It's not. Arsenal are going through a purple patch right now but that's it. If Arsenal are anywhere around in March it's a bonafide title race. My guess is that it will City, then Arsenal 5 or 6 points behind and then the closest club (could be Newcastle or Tottenham) about 5-7 points behind Arsenal...barring major injuries or any January buys are game changers.
     

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    José Mourinho : “my success is always based on having an African Striker. Without an African Striker i feel like i won't succeed. My belief about African Strikers started with Benni Mccarthy at FC Porto whereby He scored more than 20 league goals to help me & FC Porto to win the Portuguese League Title . In that same season He scored very important goals for me in the Uefa Champions League that helped our careers to be well known in Europe by winning my first Champions League as a Coach "
    " From Portugal to Chelsea in England, i find Didier Drogba. He was a great African weapon to win with me an English Premiership. I wanted Benni Mccarthy to join me to partner Didier Drogba up front but at that time He was at Blackburn Rovers and He was the only hit man there. So they refused to give us Benni Mccarthy no matter the Offer i put on the Table "
    " From Chelsea to inter Milan, there i wanted to win the Uefa Champions League so badly. But I only had two Ghanaian midfielders and that was not enough for me to win Champions League as i was dominating the league only. So I sat down and thought hard about having an African Striker again. I approached FC Barcelona and they willingly sold to me the best signing of my Career Samuel E'too and the same season with Eto'o I won Champions League"
    "from Inter Milan to Real Madrid. There at Real Madrid I had all talents but the reason I didn't win the Champions League is because I had no African Striker. I tried Emmanuel Adebayour but it was a loan move so Madrid does not like to use loaned Players."
    " Brazil have Great Strikers, but if you look at them they are of African origin. I always teach new coaches on my coaching facilities that you must always have an African Striker in your team . "
    "perfect example at Manchester United they don't believe much in African Strikers, no wonder i didn't enjoy much success there. Some strikes gives you league titles but African Strikers gives you Champions
    LEAGUE TITLES
    1667864806001.png
     

    Terrymist

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    Two questions.

    Where will The Arsenal and Liverpool end up at seasons end in the table?
    Arsenal: top 4, but not sure where. I dont think they will win the title, not enough depth upfront but will probably end up top 4. Liverpool: hard to say. I dont think they will make top 4. How about you, where do you think they will finish?
     

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    José Mourinho : “my success is always based on having an African Striker. Without an African Striker i feel like i won't succeed. My belief about African Strikers started with Benni Mccarthy at FC Porto whereby He scored more than 20 league goals to help me & FC Porto to win the Portuguese League Title . In that same season He scored very important goals for me in the Uefa Champions League that helped our careers to be well known in Europe by winning my first Champions League as a Coach "
    " From Portugal to Chelsea in England, i find Didier Drogba. He was a great African weapon to win with me an English Premiership. I wanted Benni Mccarthy to join me to partner Didier Drogba up front but at that time He was at Blackburn Rovers and He was the only hit man there. So they refused to give us Benni Mccarthy no matter the Offer i put on the Table "
    " From Chelsea to inter Milan, there i wanted to win the Uefa Champions League so badly. But I only had two Ghanaian midfielders and that was not enough for me to win Champions League as i was dominating the league only. So I sat down and thought hard about having an African Striker again. I approached FC Barcelona and they willingly sold to me the best signing of my Career Samuel E'too and the same season with Eto'o I won Champions League"
    "from Inter Milan to Real Madrid. There at Real Madrid I had all talents but the reason I didn't win the Champions League is because I had no African Striker. I tried Emmanuel Adebayour but it was a loan move so Madrid does not like to use loaned Players."
    " Brazil have Great Strikers, but if you look at them they are of African origin. I always teach new coaches on my coaching facilities that you must always have an African Striker in your team . "
    "perfect example at Manchester United they don't believe much in African Strikers, no wonder i didn't enjoy much success there. Some strikes gives you league titles but African Strikers gives you Champions
    LEAGUE TITLES
    View attachment 4929
    There is a pattern. Very interesting and eye-opening to know that this is a deliberate strategy on the part of Mourinho.
     

    RCNAL

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    Arsenal are at a very minimum 2-3 seasons away from challenging for the title and by challenging I mean pushing any side to late April.

    This season I would say Arsenal should re-adjust their goal to top runner up and a Europa cup or FA cup trophy.

    I think Liverpool can still be top 4. At any time, Liverpool can turn on a dime and go on a run like late last season. However, in the past, Klopp's sides (Dortmund, have had great runs for 2 or 3 seasons then a season where they implode and go mid table. He's going through the same at Liverpool possibly.

    Tottenham are a top 4 side this season only if Kane and Son can stay healthy. Kane is 29, Son is 30. Tottenham are overly reliant on both. They should have have had replacements lined up already. They will have to buy big to replace either.

    A club no one talks about is the Toon Army. Newcastle have 2 things going for them. A great manager in Howe and limitless money like City and Chelsea under Roman. When 2 things happen concurrently in the EPL a title is won in roughly 5 or 6 years and less: Big money and a good manager.

    1992 Manchester United get big money from the newly formed EPL over the old First Division so a whole lot of tv money to buy great youth in their academy and great players like Cantona.

    2004 Chelsea who were going broke were bought by Roman and they bring in Mourinho. City get billionaire owners and eventually bring in Pep. Liverpool get huge money from sales of players like Suarez, etc. and bring in Klopp. All these examples of big money and great managers equal titles in a few years or less.

    Newcastle would not surprise me if they get top 4. They will be minimum a Europa league qualifying side and they'll challenge for the title in 3-5 years tops.
     

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    I'm not going to say Arsenal are in a title race until, they win all their league games going into the new year and if they beat or draw with Tottenham in January. They won't win that title race though. City has too good of a squad and Arsenal are bare minimum one season away from an earnest title challenging that will go into May.

    If Liverpool gets their act together next season they won't challenge, but be in the vicinity. When City and Liverpool scrap it out, they are getting 90 plus points. Arsenal aren't a 90 plus point team yet.
     

    Terrymist

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    Can or will Arsenal win the PL?

    I say no, but they will make it interesting for the time being despite being 7 points clear.
    I think that City will eventually chase Arsenal down. City still have the stronger squad, and are used to title chases. That said, it will be an interesting second half to the season.
     

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    I agree. There are always surprises each PL seasons, both good and bad. The 'bad' or shocker is Liverpool not playing well. But its consistent with Klopp sides. His Dortmund size punched way above their weight and beat out Bayern Munich to a few titles, but for whatever reason they have a very bad season every 2 or 3 years I'm guessing from all that pressure busting a gasket.

    The big (good) surprise is Arsenal which were supposed to only challenge for top 4 and finding themselves in a similar case as Leicester in '17.

    The other big surprise is Newcastle. No one thought they'd be 3rd at this point in the season. They were thought to be Europa league faves and with some luck 4th, but not 3rd (even though most clubs have a game in hand over them).
     

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    Manchester United was a team of mockery in the Derby. The result of the match showed how better their neighbours have progressed better than them. Every United fan must be ashamed of the match.
    The only reason why City are good is that they have middle east money whose sole goal was to buy success at any cost. That's it. I hate Man Utd but they got their money organically, they made it from their own success. Same with Liverpool. City and Chelsea's success was bought by sugar daddies. Arsenal and Tottenham have billionaire owners but they never spent like it.
     

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    Saturday:
    Manchester Derby. Man Utd the home side. Who ya got?

    Sunday:
    NLD derby, Tottenham home. Who ya got?

    Man Utd have been winning ugly and have been on a major win streak. They I can see a draw in this one.
    It's hard to see Arsenal winning at WHL but I can see a draw. If Arsenal score first, it will be no worse than a draw I think. If Tottenham score first, they could nick it if they counter Arsenal well enough.
     

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    Saturday:
    Manchester Derby. Man Utd the home side. Who ya got?

    Sunday:
    NLD derby, Tottenham home. Who ya got?

    Man Utd have been winning ugly and have been on a major win streak. They I can see a draw in this one.
    It's hard to see Arsenal winning at WHL but I can see a draw. If Arsenal score first, it will be no worse than a draw I think. If Tottenham score first, they could nick it if they counter Arsenal well enough.
    Manchester Derby: was shocked Man Utd got the win. Saw the highlights, still confused about the winning goal. How was that not called offside?

    NLD: Got Spurs. Badly as they've been playing this season, home form has been decent. Definitely be watching this match with interest.
     

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    City dominated possession the first half. But Man Utd had a very good defense and was tight in the back. At times they committed 4 people up top to stifle any kind of build up from City.
    Second half City were getting more effective. I thought Fodon was one of their best players but he got subbed off for Grealish who scored on a header.

    Everyone is still trying to figure out how Man Utd's equalizer is legal. Rashford was the guilty party and was offside and interfered with the play as he did a dummy. That's a head scratcher.

    The way it looks now, I can see Man Utd and Newcastle rounding out the top 4 based on form and if Arsenal isn't careful they could dip to 3rd. Newcastle needs to convert those draws to wins. They aren't losing (only 1 loss, a remarkable feat) but they have too many draws.
     

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    I don't think Arsenal will win the title. I hope they don't win the title. They better not win the title.

    (Before you ask, yes, I am salty about the result of the NLD lol
    angry u mad GIF by Mayfly
     

    RCNAL

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    I can't see Arsenal holding off City for the rest of the season. If Arsenal finishes lower than 3rd they have squandered the 2nd half. Man Utd is playing well but the form that Arsenal is in should be enough to stave off a 9 point lead.

    So, for now I'd say
    City
    Arsenal
    Man Utd
    and I'm going to go with Newcastle.
     

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    Palace (my 2nd team) got a late equalizer to draw with Man Utd (thanks Vieira). Hoping Tottenham can take some points off City. Man Utd didn't look great against Palace but that was totally understandable since physical and mental fatigue from the derby has to play a part.

    If City drop points and Arsenal win Sunday, I think we have to say Arsenal are the favorites. If city are single digits behind they are more than capable of catching Arsenal. They can beat Arsenal home and away and take 6 points that way and then go on a run and Arsenal drop points to others.

    I can't see Man Utd catching Arsenal. They are still in the league and FA cups as well as the Europa league. Too many games and they aren't at the point where they'll have to beat decent sides like Newcastle, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Brentford (who are on a decent winning streak).
     

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    What do you make of the FA cup tie at City? My view is this. The game was more important to City than Arsenal. Arsenal got what they wanted out the game. Had they won, they risked the league. Arsenal does not have the bench to carry on 3 competitions at once AND do well in the league. They are in the Europa league and EPL and thats all they can handle.

    They made a good account of themselves at Manchester by playing a weakened squad. They put in a first half that was better than City despite City having the better squad on paper. City scored and it was a defender that scored, when Arsenal took of Partey the DCM. None of the City attackers scored, VERY important. Haaland was in check with not much great chances at goal. Very important.

    City was suffering mentally pre match more than people think. Doubt was creeping in. They lost to Man Utd and dropped points and fell further behind an Arsenal side that beat Tottenham away in a huge derby and beat them convincingly. Arsenal then beat the Same Man United side that beat them. No one talks about that. So both sides got what they needed. City can tell themselves they can beat Arsenal and have a chance at the league by winning twice and Arsenal can tell themselves that when they come to City again full strength no need to fear them. Also, Arsenal has adopted at we don't lose mentality. They played Man Utd the way it did because they were motivated more out of revenging a prior loss than the league table. They players felt they were sorta robbed a little. They will come play City with a bit of that mentality. Exacting revenge.

    City are capable of winning 7, 8, 9 straight games. They have a big squad but they are also in 3 competitions (EPL, CL and FA Cup) and risk injuries. The big question for Arsenal they will have to beat Liverpool away possibly. Very tough, even with LFC having an off season. They will have to try to win at Newcastle which is almost insurmountable but CIty will have to manage to beat them as well and Arsenal will have to manage to beat Chelsea at home, doable but its a huge London derby. Arsenal have the tougher run in. They can't lose to City. They must take points off those games. Or win one and lose one. If they lose one and draw one (at home) it becomes a matter of matching results and you don't want to play that game with City. They have been there before and know how to.
     

    RCNAL

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    So, Arsenal and City? Too close to call but I gotta give the edge to City maybe although I would love to see Arsenal win it.
    Hoping Newcastle beats Man Utd in the league cup. Man Utd are looking great. Big win over Barca.

    Maybe we should be talking titles with Man Utd since if both City and Arsenal go into a tailspin they could win it, they are close enough and playing well enough. Problem is they have already played both of them twice.