Menzel

Obviously don't think I'm good enough to blog about this stuff, but thought I would start a wee thread for anyone interested in Czech football, in particular the domestic league. I'll also be writing a wee bit about the fortunes of the Czech national side. Gives me something to do and might also give some folk an idea of the level of the game in far-flung central Europe. Many of my posts will be about Zbrojovka Brno, my local club playing in the Synot Liga, the top level of Czech football. Saturday night sees an interesting game against the hated Sparta Prague, and I'll definitely be trying to cover that. I'd also recommend @Synotliga_EN on twitter which does English-language updates of games. ---- Due to the international break, which was fruitful for the Czech national side with wins over Turkey and Kazakhstan, there was no top league football this weekend. I therefore took the opportunity to travel across the city to take in SK Líšeň against Prostějov in the Moravian-Silesian Football League, the third tier of Czech football alongside the Bohemian Football League. At the end of the season, one team from each gets promoted to the II Liga, the equivalent of the Championship over here. The start of the day saw Líšeň, who by some distance are the "second team" in Brno behind Zbrojovka, lying third-bottom of the league with 7 points from 10 matches, facing a strong Prostějov side, featuring several players with higher level experience, second on goal difference. A half-decent crowd of around 400 saw the encounter. Unfortunately for the home team, they were thoroughly outclassed by a strong visiting side who never looked like giving up their lead, which came on the 9th minute as a nice through-ball resulted in a neat top-corner finish for Lukáš Zelenka, who gave Líšeň problems all afternoon. A defensive error gave Zelenka his second around the 20th minute mark, where a nothing ball was failed to be taken care of by a haphazard-looking defence, allowing the dynamic midfielder to slip in and poke the ball past Bureš into the net. The only significant chance by Líšeň arrived on the half-hour mark, a quickly taken throw was then drilled into the box by David Krška, yet from only a few yards out Jan Sedlák's shot was high and a yard wide of the goal. The chance to seal the encounter, and Zelenka's hat-trick, came minutes later, but the one-on-one was dealt with well by Bureš, forcing an early shot which went wide of the keeper's right hand post. After several reasonably-priced pints provided by the pitchside bar, the second half was a relatively meaningless affair, with the home team coming into the match a lot further, without creating any clear-cut chances and any real threat of scoring. Prostějov, perhaps sensing this, took their feet off the gas and endeavoured to keep as much possession as possible. Their third, perhaps undeserved given the nature of the half, goal, arrived in the 92nd minute. Líšeň, who after for the last ten minutes bizarrely chose to open themselves up to get a goal (why they din't attempt this earlier is a puzzler) failed to deal with a quick break from the visitors on the right flank, leading to a cross which the unmarked Karel Kroupa calmly lifted over the keeper. 3-0 will of course be disappointing to the home team, but perhaps not as much as the manner in which the team played. This being my first time watching Líšeň this season, I can't comment on if this is how the side have been playing in general, but eight losses from eleven is poor form. They will no doubt hope to get something out of Saturday's game away to FC Hlučín, currently 6th of 16 in the table. Highlights of the match are available on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05zc_nmbD48#t=350 Hopefully things can turn around this year for struggling Líšeň, who maintain a nice ground in a leafy part of Brno and are very much a club grounded in the community. A lot of work is necessary if they are to repeat their claim to fame, a memorable run in the Czech Cup 2007-2008 where their defeat of Slavia Prague 4-3 is still one of the greatest upsets in Czech football of the last few decades. If I have time before Saturday, I'll post a preview to the Zbrojovka-Sparta game, as well as other games to look out for in the Synot Liga. If there are any questions I'll try my best to answer them, hope you enjoyed reading and would appreciate comments. Cheers!

whoosh on the joke aside, it suggests that Northern Ireland may not have two unionist MEPs for the first time in its history, and with the possibility of a cross-community party potentially picking up the third seat.

The Northern Ireland poll is interesting. Looking pretty bad for the independent candidate, but he'll be used to it after his last gig.

Sure, but doesn't Dead have more experience of this than most, considering he's an East Stirlingshire supporter, and going into his fourth season in the LL?

I liked David Preece!

Will there be a cringeworthy, counter-productive splinter which marches to the BBC again?

Just decide which club is more likely to keep a rapist on their books and run with that comparison.

Ooya, somebody took the weekend's result well!

Sorry, what?

Ah, the good old 'friend of a friend' one.

If I was a Queens fan I'd be absolutely terrified right now.

Only chance your team will get up to the stadium is a draw in the cup so I wouldn't be too worried.

Great story if Rovers survive this season, excellent result today.

Good three points, that.

"why do things catch fire"

Personally thought after the game was lost in the first half our second half performance was utterly hilarious. I had a Celtic fan I went to uni with buzzing me on messenger every five minutes shouting 'WAS THAT A DIVE AS WELL ' at me. Brilliant to know that we can play utter horseshit and yet still get tears and snotters from sensitive souls.

Threads like this remind me there's quite a few things I don't miss about Scotland/UK. Once you get used to life over here and come back for Christmas etc the prices are a real shock to the system.

Can see this being 6-0 in Aberdeen's favour. Outside of the cards market though, a win by one would be great.

A CLASS ABOVE

Bubbles

I see the Jehovah's aren't the only people utterly obsessed with a dead guy.