Thursday, October 26, 2017

MOTD (Retro) League Cup Special



Tottenham and West ham may have been playing against each other for nearly 120 years but their meetings in the League Cup (in whichever guise) have been sporadic to say the least. There have been only nine meetings between the sides in the English league's third trophy, with two of those games in the last five years and two of them replays.

Our Match of the Day League Cup Special focuses on one of those replays, when the tournament was the Littlewoods Cup and Tottenham triumphed in a replayed quarter final rout. Though Spurs had Hoddle and Waddle in tandem, the star of the show was Clive Allen - and the White Hart Lane stanchions!







Thursday, October 19, 2017

MOTD (Retro) Champions League Special


Though you wouldn't be able to tell if last night's Benfica v Manchester United match was played at the Estadio da Luz or Old Trafford if looking only at the goal nets,  that wasn't the case in the past.

Benfica once had such distinctive goal nets - check out these terrific L-supports from the 1966 match between the clubs.


And while United may have been unrecognisable in all blue, you'd never be in any doubt where the match on 29 May 1968 was played.


They never get old.

Monday, October 9, 2017

MOTD (Retro) World Cup Qualifying Special



England may have cruised through their qualifying group for the 2018 finals in Russia, but qualifying for Argentina forty years ago was much more difficult.

Ultimately, a 2-0 defeat in the baggy nets of Stadio Olimpico in Rome sealed England's fate, Roberto Bettega's diving header for 2-0 a highlight.



While a reverse of that scoreline at Wembley a year later still couldn't help England qualify, it's a chance to ogle once more at Wembley's late 70's nets and note the curiosity of two balls in the net when Kevin Keegan's header beats Dino Zoff.


Monday, October 2, 2017

MOTD (Retro) Week 7



Crystal Palace may have been crushed 4-0 by Mourinho's Man U on Saturday, but 45 years ago the tables were turned when a rampant Palace, inspired by Don Rogers, thrashed United 5-0.

This week's Match of the Day features the goals from this classic encounter, Don Rogers' moustache and the totemic A-frames (and unnecessary Wankdorf 1954 ground supports) at old Selhurst Park.

Enjoy.