Arsenal beat Blackburn 3-0 today to reach their 4th final in 5 years. It was a pretty good game with good goals. Anyone else watch it?

Newcastle and Manchester United play tomorrow.

"We don't believe in moral victories." - Chris Walker

On the bandwagon since birth. Raised in the bleachers of Kyle, Olsen, and G. Rollie White

No, I missed it, but I should've watched it. Usually, I record those matches and watch them later, but I forgot. Was it on Fox Soccer Channel? If so, I can catch a replay.

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"When I look to this lion it looks arrogant, it is aggressive, it is powerful. He is proud of being a Chelsea lion." -- José Mourinho

Yeah it was.

"We don't believe in moral victories." - Chris Walker

On the bandwagon since birth. Raised in the bleachers of Kyle, Olsen, and G. Rollie White

Would one of you please explain how the European season works? Champions League? FA Cup? etc...

Mustang,

Here's how the English do it....

In England there are three trophies a team can win specific to England. There is no post season, per se, as all the tournament games are mixed into the regular season schedule.

The FA Cup is a tournament put on by the English Football Association. Essentially, teams from any level of play (club, minor, and major league teams for lack of a better description) compete during this season long touranment. The winner gets the FA Cup the game for which is normally the last game of the year.

There is also the Carling Cup which is the same kind of knockout tourney but only for Premiership teams. It, too, is played during the regular season.

The last major piece of silverware you can get in the Premiership is the league title. This goes to the team with the best record at the end of the year.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) also puts on two other tournaments that ceratin teams can particpate in. The first is the UEFA Cup which I believe is open to any team that wants to participate and is willing to add the extra games to their schedule to do so. The second is the Champions League which is only open to the top 4 teams from each country's football league.

Same sort of deal as the other tournaments except they have group play to narrow down the field and then go to a home and away schedule.

Thats pretty much how I understand it. Some of these other guys might be able to clear up my explaination more. Hope that helps!

Cheers,

E1Jock

The Carling Cup (as it is known now, but it will probably change sponsors again soon) is actually open to any team in the top 4 divisions of English soccer, not just the Premiership teams.

"I feel like we have some unfinished business." - Chris Walker

On the bandwagon since birth. Raised in the bleachers of Kyle, Olsen, and G. Rollie White

A few clarifications:

Champions League isn't necessarily the top 4. In countries where the league is good (England) it is the top 4 but lesser leagues (Holland) get fewer spots.

UEFA Cup is open to a ton of teams but not just anyone can compete. 5 and 6 from good leagues are automatically in but you can also get in by winning a domestic trophy I believe. In addition, teams that lose early in the Champions League are put in the UEFA Cup and FIFA has the Fair Play rule which allows the team deemed to be the best at...well fair play get in. While many can get in, I don't think there is any method for crap teams (i.e. relegation battlers) to get in.

The simple answer...each domestic league varies a bit but generally each league starts in September or so and ends in May. (Scandinavia is an exception as its too cold to play that schedule). While the leagues are playing their domestic matches, various domestic and continental tournaments go on (typically during the week while domestic leage matches take place during the weekend). Some countries have a winter break.

i watched the 2nd half of the Arsenal-Blackburn match. i could really tell how frustrated Blackburn was getting and lost focus. Robin van Persie's two goals in the last 8 minutes were both amazing...but the elbow he took to the face while shooting the second one was awful. it hurt me to just watch it over and over in the replays.

Arsenal will take the cup over ManU 2-0.