confidence is just one piece of a puzzle that makes a great side. but its a big piece.

teams like man utd dont lose confidence because they're the greatest club in england and winning is bred into the club.

look at the vast majority of teams that go to Old Trafford, they're beat before they even step on the pitch, because they dont believe they can win.

on the other hand, havant went in there with an attitude of just playing a game of football and took the lead twice at anfield.

the 'nothing to lose' attitude is usually one that works well in football.

They lost 5-2, all the same. I mean, if teams like Man Utd are always high on confidence, and also have the best players, and teams like Derby are being trounced week in week out and are low in confidence, with the worst players, then confidence is surely some sort of mirror on ability, and can be counted as pretty negligible. I think anyway. I'm sure if the two teams played 50 times, Havant would win once and maybe three times gave Liverpool the game that they did. It's not confidence, it's how the dices land.

Here's some examples of why I think a purely statistical, probability based model that disregards concepts of confidence is superior. Scotland as they bid to qualify for Euro 2008. They had a soft game against Georgia which if they won they would go through. They had beaten France and Italy previously, confidence should surely have been sky high. They lost to Georgia, heavily. They then lost to Italy. No shame in finishing third in such a tough group, but the Fink Tank's statistical model rated their chances of qualifications, BEFORE the Georgia game as very low, I mean, well under 50%.

Similarly, when Tottenham finished fifth a few years back when everyone felt they would take fourth ahead of Arsenal. Arsenal had two seasons ago went the year unbeaten, but had the following year only won the FA Cup and then sold their captain and heart of their midfield to Juventus. Furthermore, they languished as low down as 8th and 9th for large stretches of that season, confidence should have been pretty low for a team clearly on the decline. On the other hand, Tottenham were having their best season in years and were playing with one of the best attacks in Europe, surely a source for high confidence. In the event, Tottenham narrowly missed out on fourth and Arsenal narrowly missed out on the Champions League. However, the Fink Tank always rated Arsenal as the more likely to finish fourth even coming into the last three or four games of the league season.

Another example of the statistical method proving more reliable, and again relating to Tottenham, is the 'decline' of Paul Robinson. The Fink Tank has always rated him as a poor keeper, consistently amongst the worst players in the entire league. Statistics such as Tottenham having one of the best attacks in Europe and an average defence means they should have been scoring a lot of goals and conceding an average amount. However, despite scoring a lot, they conceded more goals than they should have. But, since Robinson would pull off decent stops, no one ever picked up on statistics such as his saves to shots ratio. People started to pick up on how poor he was though when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and when Spurs began to come apart at the end of Jol's reign. On the other hand, David James, who was cast as something of a laughing stock in the media for a long while before coming 'back to form' at Portsmouth has consistently been ranked as one of the best keepers in the league. Conceding a goal due to a blunder and conceding a goal due to an unstoppable free kick are equal in the grand scheme of things, James is just unlucky in that the former is what people remember.

The success of Oakland in baseball in America, something Garamond would be able to talk about more than I can, further strengthens the statistical argument due to their usage of moneyball. That team uses the application of statistics regarding performance of players to find the best players for the smallest price. The Fink Tank has never been applied in football here, but unless baseball is somehow a sport where confidence exists less, I see no reason why a team would not be able to enjoy similar success to the Oakland Athletics without having to break the bank on players who are obviously the best. Everyone knows Kaka' and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the best attackers in the world, but did you know Frank Quedrue was the best left back in the Premiership a few years ago?

Here's some examples of why I think a purely statistical, probability based model that disregards concepts of confidence is superior. Scotland as they bid to qualify for Euro 2008. They had a soft game against Georgia which if they won they would go through. They had beaten France and Italy previously, confidence should surely have been sky high. They lost to Georgia, heavily. They then lost to Italy. No shame in finishing third in such a tough group, but the Fink Tank's statistical model rated their chances of qualifications, BEFORE the Georgia game as very low, I mean, well under 50%.

Complacency. Confidence isn't the only mental attribute that affects performance. Scotland had won against Ukraine, Georgia were languishing fifth with a crappy record in the group. Scotland expected a relatively easy win, Georgia scored first - the rest is history.

Also, victory against Georgia alone wouldn't have been enough to carry them through. Had they lost to Italy, they could still have gone out, though it would at least have gone down to the last game between France and the Faeroes (iirc).


Similarly, when Tottenham finished fifth a few years back when everyone felt they would take fourth ahead of Arsenal. Arsenal had two seasons ago went the year unbeaten, but had the following year only won the FA Cup and then sold their captain and heart of their midfield to Juventus. Furthermore, they languished as low down as 8th and 9th for large stretches of that season, confidence should have been pretty low for a team clearly on the decline. On the other hand, Tottenham were having their best season in years and were playing with one of the best attacks in Europe, surely a source for high confidence. In the event, Tottenham narrowly missed out on fourth and Arsenal narrowly missed out on the Champions League. However, the Fink Tank always rated Arsenal as the more likely to finish fourth even coming into the last three or four games of the league season.

I could argue the same for this point, as Spurs threw away a decent lead over Arsenal in the race for 4th, but I won't. What I'll argue instead is that a good manager, which Wenger clearly is, can manage players psychologically better and prevent multiple setbacks from disturbing the mood too much, and picking up the players for the challenge of a full league campaign.

However, confidence clearly had an impact for at least some of that season, as evidenced by the very fact that Arsenal were languishing in 8th/9th for a good deal of it. I wonder if the Fink Tank had predicted that? Probably not, since Arsenal undoubtedly had a better squad than the vast majority of the 4/5 teams ahead of them for that part of the season.


Another example of the statistical method proving more reliable, and again relating to Tottenham, is the 'decline' of Paul Robinson. The Fink Tank has always rated him as a poor keeper, consistently amongst the worst players in the entire league. Statistics such as Tottenham having one of the best attacks in Europe and an average defence means they should have been scoring a lot of goals and conceding an average amount. However, despite scoring a lot, they conceded more goals than they should have. But, since Robinson would pull off decent stops, no one ever picked up on statistics such as his saves to shots ratio. People started to pick up on how poor he was though when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and when Spurs began to come apart at the end of Jol's reign. On the other hand, David James, who was cast as something of a laughing stock in the media for a long while before coming 'back to form' at Portsmouth has consistently been ranked as one of the best keepers in the league. Conceding a goal due to a blunder and conceding a goal due to an unstoppable free kick are equal in the grand scheme of things, James is just unlucky in that the former is what people remember.

I don't know what this has to do with confidence? More just people overrating a mediocre keeper, which has nothing at all to do with statistics, rather simple football knowledge. Anyone with a bit of football knowledge could tell you the same. I have never particularly rated Robinson, though I do think his current problems are down in some part to confidence. Having the media slating you on a day to day basis has to be damaging to the mental side of a footballer.

Also, I cannot believe the highlighted bit. You can't seriously be arguing that a goalkeeper who concedes 30 goals due to his own errors is as good as one who concedes 30 goals due to the good work of strikers? If you are, please back it up with some decent reasoning.

The problem with statistics, specifically on an individual level, is that they rely a lot on the performances of the players that that individual plays against, and on the ability and performance of the team that individual. So Franck Quedrue could have been the best left back statistically speaking, a few years back, but that may have been because he was playing against poor right wingers and right backs, or good right wingers/backs who were simply having an off day. Injuries and suspensions, as well as other variables can also come into play here. Statistics are OK for giving a purely 'scientific' view of who's playing well, but I feel the opinion of a pundit is often better.

Also, I notice that you brought up your own arguments rather than attempting to refute mine. Really, I think we can both offer examples to support our arguments all day, since football is affected by both physical/technical and mental attributes, so I doubt we're ever going to agree.

confidence will always be a major factor in the performance and the production of talent in football. but you need to have the ability to begin with obviously. saying they go hand in hand all the time is a bit silly though, tbh.

why do you think there are always a handful of teams in each division (possibly not in the premiership so much, granted) that go on runs at the start of the season, only to fade once they get their first defeat? yes, fatigue and injuries play a part, but having your confidence shaken is a major factor in any game or cluster of games in football.

of course using havant and liverpool as a yardstick is a bad example. liverpool will win twelves times out of ten, no contest. but if liverpool were playing with more confidence than last saturday (AND PICKED THE SAME FUCKING TEAM EVERY WEEK OMFG SPANISH TWAT) it would have been a cricket score. but in the bog standard week-in week-out of league fixtures, the team that plays with the most confidence AND has that extra slice of luck and ability will win the title.

yes of course you need ability, pace, a margin of luck and all the other trimmings (pitch, ref, tactics, weather etc), but confidence is certainly not negligable.

pspsps with the whole scotland thing, i think there's a little bit of confidence coming in to play there, kind of in reverse. when a small or crappy team who's been poor for quite some time suddenly has a run of form, they usually take down one or two of the bigger and classier teams. then they come up against a lesser side (such as a georgia) and for pretty much the first time, their fans, media etc EXPECT them to take the result (based on the fact they're beaten some of the better outfits). which is completely in reverse to what they have become custom to. pressure is confidence in a way, so i think it comes in to play here as well.

srsly guys, i have never know a game for us common folk be so bloody over analysed. if we're not careful it'll be pushed onto the prawn sandwich brigade.

!_!

It is cool though, how this is the best debate in the whole forums right now. Football thread 4 lyfe.

you make good points mossy, but if football could be decided purely through stats, then why would we bother watching it?

ill always agree the best team, will ALWAYS win the league, because its over 38 games, but any team can pick up a little run, get some confidence and go far in a competiton(Watford last year)

also, mossy;

Were Greece the best team on paper in Euro 2004
Were Porto the best team on paper in the CL when they won it in 2004? How about Monaco, who made the final.
Were Liverpool?

I think what happened in these competitions shows that the Fink Tank is only accurate for a protracted number of games.

being a human game, any team can beat another in a one-off, 90 minute game, no matter how unlikely, its always possible.

That's completely correct, I wouldn't disagree with any of that. The Fink Tank accepts that in cup competitions the outcome is very difficult to get to any more than 20-30% certainty. In fact, only once every 400 years would there be no upsets in the third round of the FA Cup. All in all though, I do believe that the team who statistically performs best, is the best team, rather than a side who plays with greater confidence etc.

Anyhowwwwww,

Arsenal - Utd at Old Trafford. I expect to see us lose 2 or 3-1 then. Damn. If it had have been at least at the Emirates.

yeah, tough draw for you.

also, chelsea got a lower league team at Stamford Bridge.

SHOCK, HORROR.

barnsley































*titter*

also


Dennis Wise.

what the fuck.

my favourite stats-related anecdote is that peter schmeichel, when prostats (or whatever it's called?) was introduced, was not happy and spent the next game, whenever the ball was outside man utd's half, sprinting to and fro around the box and ended up with one of the highest "sprints" ratings in the game. stats don't tell you anything, and besides, it makes football dull.

Those clearly aren't the statistics the Fink Tank uses. Distance covered by a team does not have any relationship with success. Obviously statistics can be skewed, but to say that they are useless and tell you nothing is clearly wrong when the Fink Tank has been so accurate over the past seasons. It predicted Charlton's relegation, a team that had previously been comfortably mid table, not many pundits would have made that call at the start of the season. Whether or not it makes the game dull is another issue entirely, but I don't see how their use and powers of prediction can be denied over the course of a league, if not a cup competition.

but i bet they can't predict teams going on horrible runs of form and so on, which is what makes football interesting. it's not just number crunching, if it ever gets like that i'll stop following the bloody sport.

well what does everybody think of macallister at leeds?? i know its not a important topic, but what are your opinions??

we'll have to wait and see, he doesnt have any experience(afaik), but he will have the players respect.

no idea how he'll do though, we'll have to wait and see.

ps: Keegan is 9/1 to be the next PL manager sacked. put your money on.

yeah, keagan is not going to be there for long even if he doesnt get sacked, id say he will see out most of next season, if he is allowed to, and then he will leave, just a tempoary fix in my opinion, and anyway what good is changing manager, when you have virtually no squad anyway??

Bloody Ronaldo. :(

ah, could be worse

we could be liverpool or man city

Go Havant and Waterlooville

I am just chuffed my local team had the opportunity to play Liverpool and even accomplished 2 goals, I mean come on. Classsic material.

and anyway what good is changing manager, when you have virtually no squad anyway??

True.

But I think Keegan was brought in to instill confidence and structure into the team.

:'(

The Liverpool fan share thing is a nice idea, but I don't really think it'll work. They say they need to raise �500M from 100,000 fans, that's �5,000 each on average, which is quite an undertaking for the average person. Of course I assume that there will be some business men who contribute into the millions and so on, but for most fans fifty, seventy, a hundred quid or so is about as much as they could realistically contribute.

Even if the takeover is successful, I don't really think that such a large scale egalitarian project would work out. With so many shareholders theoretically equal, there is still going to need to be a few figureheads at the top who take the decisions and represent the shareholders views and the potential for corruption to occur at that level is massive. Even if they enter into the project as fans of Liverpool with the absolute best of intentions, like Mikhail Bakunin said "If you took the most ardent revolutionary, vested him in absolute power, within a year he would be worse than the Tsar himself." It's not inevitable, but it is a big risk.

I also think that the MyFootballClub thing won't work out too, and it takes it a step further with members voting on formations, transfers etc. It may be democratic, but when the team is deciding to buy non league player A or non league player B, 99.9% of the members involved in decision making aren't going to be familiar with either player and there is no real way to work around that. It isn't a rumble, a paragraph description won't do. As for formation and team selection, how do you reach a consensus when you have 50,000 conflicting opinions?

they're just getting desperate as their once great club goes down the shitter.

and what the hell is wrong with the mass numbers orf liverpool fans chanting his name.

what have the yanks got to do with poor performances, silly formations, poor singings and the constant changes?

he isnt good enough for a club like liverpool. get rid and get Jose in, imo.

i have to say i dont totally agree with that, although i see where your coming from..

i wouldnt say he isn't good enough for liverpool, i mean he had them in two champions league finals in 3 years, one of which they won, and he has made some good decisions, the problem is, recently he had made one or two bad mistakes, which have cost the club in more ways then one. and instead of admiting to these mistakes, and working to make up for them, he has spat his dummy out and is using the clubs ownership problems as a distraction from the real issue. one example of a bad decision, he has one of the best forwards in the world at his disposle, and in some games he chooses to leave him on the bench, if you are looking to challenge for a top four position, you cannot afford to do this. look at ferguson, he will play ronaldo in games that united are sure to win.this is beacuse he knows he is a match winner.the team can't play their best without him. My point there is you should not rest your best players, unless a crucial game is approaching. anyway back to my original point. if benitez just concentrates on doing his job as manager, and not on where his money is coming from, then the team, in my opinion, would function better.

Buying Defoe was a decent bit of business. He's often overrated imo, but not a bad player by any means. On the other hand though, I don't understand why Benjani was being sold in the first place? He has been very good this season butthereyougo.

yeah he is overrated, and his hair style is just stupid, but thats beside the point.and it looks like portsmouth are going to have to wait till next week to see if the premier leauge will sanction the move to city for benjani.

benji was sold so we had the money to buy defoe. defoe's a better striker and once man city offered for benji i guess harry decided it was time to move on. i do like benji though, very very good man, and i'll be sad to see him leave.

also:


The Liverpool fan share thing is a nice idea, but I don't really think it'll work. They say they need to raise �500M from 100,000 fans, that's �5,000 each on average, which is quite an undertaking for the average person. Of course I assume that there will be some business men who contribute into the millions and so on, but for most fans fifty, seventy, a hundred quid or so is about as much as they could realistically contribute.

Even if the takeover is successful, I don't really think that such a large scale egalitarian project would work out. With so many shareholders theoretically equal, there is still going to need to be a few figureheads at the top who take the decisions and represent the shareholders views and the potential for corruption to occur at that level is massive. Even if they enter into the project as fans of Liverpool with the absolute best of intentions, like Mikhail Bakunin said "If you took the most ardent revolutionary, vested him in absolute power, within a year he would be worse than the Tsar himself." It's not inevitable, but it is a big risk.
well, it seems to work for barcelona.

on the myfootballclub thing, however, i agree with you

newcastle collapsing under pressure, well now this is a first.

Just got back from Craven Cottage. First half was pretty poor, but the game sparked to life in the second. Didn't see the Villa goal (was looking elsewhere at the time and there's no big screen). But I was right behind the goal for both the Fulham goals. Will be interesting to see how the free kick looks from the other side. :)

Yes, I realise I'm not a fan of either team but I thought I'd try my first live Premier League game and see what happened. Plus Fulham did Pompey a favour by beating Villa...

The derby was one hell of a match and personally I think Owen's first goal was onside as well as perfectly fine. The ref did make a few strange decisions both ends of the spectrum for both teams.

The result was crap but it was one hell of a match, how are Middlesbrough so low down in the table when they can play like that?

The derby was one hell of a match and personally I think Owen's first goal was onside as well as perfectly fine. The ref did make a few strange decisions both ends of the spectrum for both teams.

The result was crap but it was one hell of a match, how are Middlesbrough so low down in the table when they can play like that?

its not a derby.

yeah i was wondering what was meant by that??? il tell you what is a derby though.. the sweet manchester derby this weekend, im well looking forward to it. We are going to wipe city's arses for them. (we might even beat them at football aswell).

hello everybody, how are we

i am very impressed with capello so far. the players who represent the nation are largely multi millionaires with lenient lifestyles and their complacency had to be addressed by the new coach, which it has done. it sounds like they're surprised by the strict approach, but for the amount they earn and the responsibility they have on a sporting level they should treat it like the fucking army fighting wars. the performances weren't startling in difference but some of the passing was good, and the goals were both cool. even crouch looked decent and assured. it was also nice to see capello pals with pearcey, smooth move, and pissing off the media with italian speech and changing predicted team selections is priceless. la butana!

who saw that premier league proposal to add an extra match for each club to the season to be played abroad? a part of me died. i would start following chavvy qpr, but the 283 home took me past the estates and shops surrounding loftus road and white city and the dodgy sorts with their pitbulls staring at everyone and chucking chips at the bus so they can fuck off, and besides even they've got some finger-in-pies businessman owner now, i think it's that eccleston, not sure.

but yeah, if they actually pass this proposal and start playing live to the foreign devils, i suggest a widespread, viral campaign to unite all those with footballing intrests in a revolt and a total boycott of the premier league. give the cunts something to think about.

agh the premier league are bastards

screw the lot of them if this goes through. but it will, cause it makes them money. it's a fucking joke

pem is businss

and any bsness bottom line is enhane qealth od shareholders

cunt tbf but ok mir

fuck u

In the words of St Francis of Assisi: "Never give a sucker an even break."

Foreign games do sound quite wrong, but as people have said it all boils down to money. Even if a handful of people boycotted the games as a result, there'd be no shortage of people going into the ground to watch 'em.

Ja

"Harry Redknapp believes Portsmouth have a chance to finish fourth this season after recruiting wisely in the January transfer window."

LOL

its not a derby.
Newcastle vs Middlesbrough =
Tyne-Tees Derby.

Newcastle vs Sunderland =
Tyne-Wear Derby

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland =
Tees-Wear Derby All 3 cities are in the north east of England.
Sure the distance between Boro and Newcastle is 40+ miles and less so for Sunderland but it's all situated within the same region.
Nowhere near as intense as a Tyne-Wear derby, Mackem cunts.

In the words of St Francis of Assisi: "Never give a sucker an even break."

Foreign games do sound quite wrong, but as people have said it all boils down to money. Even if a handful of people boycotted the games as a result, there'd be no shortage of people going into the ground to watch 'em.

Ja

i went to st francis of assissi school. he liked animals.

i think such a diabolical idea if actually actioned would cause so much resentment among fans in general that if a little organisation and rousing could be cultivated their business and image could be damaged, badly, perhaps enough to teach the cheeky suit cunts a lesson.

they already charge extortionate fees for matches to support the wage structure and maximise profits inflated by those insanely lucrative tv deals and sponsorships. i don't go to matches because even under bates, who was one of the 'pioneers' of this breed of chairman, we had expensive ticket prices, and although i went to a few matches and the atmosphere and indeed the team were more fun, i wasn't so much a paying fan then an armchair supporter. i don't care; i'd rather that then waste my money, they can all fuck off. some clubs have more humility and camaraderie, and they mainly reside in the lower leagues.

Newcastle vs Middlesbrough =
Tyne-Tees Derby.

Newcastle vs Sunderland =
Tyne-Wear Derby

Middlesbrough vs Sunderland =
Tees-Wear Derby All 3 cities are in the north east of England.
Sure the distance between Boro and Newcastle is 40+ miles and less so for Sunderland but it's all situated within the same region.
Nowhere near as intense as a Tyne-Wear derby, Mackem cunts.

its not a fucking derby -_-

and well done for the PL finaly selling whatever soul it had left. this extra game crap is the last nail in the coffin.

I'm telling it is, man. Alreet the argument's only going to go on and on and on, so let's fuck the legitimacy of the title of derby and bugger off to something else...

The entire foreign sea thing of the PL is just cack. Commercialism speaking in it's strongest form, the managers as usual get NO say, not even the club owners do. Look, someone just kill off the F.A. and get REAL people in and not money making robots.

On the plus side, they're allowing 7 named substitutes per match.

It's about bloody time.

4-1, Given's injured and Keegan's an Alan Smith fanboy. Relegation here we come...

i went to st francis of assissi school. he liked animals.

I'm sure he did, but I never mentioned animals in my post. :)

Also: Watch Red Dwarf. You'll understand.

1-0 to the mighty Pompey today... 7th is pretty well placed for the moment. Still in striking distance.

I'm telling it is, man. Alreet the argument's only going to go on and on and on, so let's fuck the legitimacy of the title of derby and bugger off to something else...

The entire foreign sea thing of the PL is just cack. Commercialism speaking in it's strongest form, the managers as usual get NO say, not even the club owners do. Look, someone just kill off the F.A. and get REAL people in and not money making robots.

it's nothing to do with the FA. in fact, the FA were only informed of this story a few hours before everyone else. the Premier League is an independent body.

we were shit, and we won. hoorah. looking forward to motd tonight then. also, newcastle can't seem to buy a win at the moment.

Newcastle could still get relegated actually. Stranger things have happened.

They definitely won't.

Excellent result for us today and we should be well fit to beat Blackburn at the Emirates.

newcastle collapsing under pressure, well now this is a first.

They definitely won't.

Did the Fink Tank tell you that? :p

Basically, yes. But common sense too. I mean, there is definitely three worse teams than them so they aren't going to go down and they should finish around the middle, probably about 12th.

Excellent result for us today and we should be well fit to beat Blackburn at the Emirates.

Hahahaha, I was like "Who's this e-meter man? Oh, he has 12,000 posts..."

Also: anyone else watching the African Cup of Nations final? It's enjoyable stuff, but HOW have Egypt not scored? Unlucky kidz.

did you use your brain to reach your conclusions mossy?

scoff scoff

well i wasn't expecting that result. good old benji

I'm sure he did, but I never mentioned animals in my post. :)

Also: Watch Red Dwarf. You'll understand.

1-0 to the mighty Pompey today... 7th is pretty well placed for the moment. Still in striking distance.

i loved the episode with the alien who made itself look like whatever anyone liked the most and cat just saw himself


Newcastle could still get relegated actually. Stranger things have happened.

king kev indeed. newcastle - uniting a whole city with false hope and destroying defender's careers since 1955


Hahahaha, I was like "Who's this e-meter man? Oh, he has 12,000 posts..."

Also: anyone else watching the African Cup of Nations final? It's enjoyable stuff, but HOW have Egypt not scored? Unlucky kidz.

what a fucking terrible final. i thought it was a shame, after the high quality of the rest of the tournament, as well as the single goal meaning the tournament total stopped 1 short of a cool 100. ref must have been stoned, or bribed, he was absolutely useless. kameni was cameroon's only impressive player on the day; egyptians werent great but fair play to them, written off and yet they beat cameroon twice and ivory coast too.


well i wasn't expecting that result. good old benji

good old city. It's Oh So Quiet Shh, shh It's oh so quiet shh, shh it's oh so still shh, shh your all alone shh, shh and so peaceful until... half time oh shit we're 2 0 down. hmm. i guess this team isn't as good as the babes then.

although quieroz bleating about the extra game (international) as an excuse should shut the prem league up with their potty foreign 39th game bullshit.

i always skim the 606 forum when matches are played, plus have a few manc friends... 'sack fergie' 'scholes giggs past it' 'title race over' wtf, check out the fickle.

chelsea liverpool = insipid non event as per usual.

did you use your brain to reach your conclusions mossy?

scoff scoff

:laugh:

One thing though MossY:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7237399.stm

It could happen :D

I cant belive the derby result. Terrible. Im a united fan, and i have to say that city played well in my opinion, altough the first goal was virtually given to them by ferdinand(who by the way played terribly), and the second goal, well, im checking the offside rule about this, because it confused me and a few of the people in the stands around me, was Petrov not offside when the ball was played to him, just before he put the cross in????

As far as City's defending goes, they were solid from start to finish. each player stayed on his man the entire game. And as much as it pains me to say it, we didnt deserve to win. The second half should have started with Nani coming off, Hargreaves coming on, and pushing Scholes up more, to support Teves better.

And one last thing before i finish. There is absolutley no way Ferdinand deserves to be first choice over Micha Richards in the England squad. He might lack the experience, but, at the moment, he is twice the defender Ferdinand is...

:laugh:

One thing though MossY:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7237399.stm

It could happen :D

always liked duffer, classy winger, mourinho's 'style' of football and rotation ground him down a bit but he's a fantastic player on his day


I cant belive the derby result. Terrible. Im a united fan, and i have to say that city played well in my opinion, altough the first goal was virtually given to them by ferdinand(who by the way played terribly), and the second goal, well, im checking the offside rule about this, because it confused me and a few of the people in the stands around me, was Petrov not offside when the ball was played to him, just before he put the cross in????

As far as City's defending goes, they were solid from start to finish. each player stayed on his man the entire game. And as much as it pains me to say it, we didnt deserve to win. The second half should have started with Nani coming off, Hargreaves coming on, and pushing Scholes up more, to support Teves better.

And one last thing before i finish. There is absolutley no way Ferdinand deserves to be first choice over Micha Richards in the England squad. He might lack the experience, but, at the moment, he is twice the defender Ferdinand is...

a united fan... graceful in defeat... fuck. nice one

one thing though, as much as i hate him, and despite his off days and lapses in concentration, ferdinand is still a better defender then richards. latter has more off days and needs more experience especially in pressure cooker situations. capello needs to stick him back in the national squad

The England Centre Back problem is a headache similar to the Centre Forward issue in the 90's. Back then we had a absolute glut of quality Strikers, including the likes of Fowler, Ferdinand, Cole, Shearer, Sheringham, Owen, Collymore, Wright and a lack of a steady pairing at the back.

Today the opposite is true. I think one of the major reasons Rooney gets such acclaim is that there is no-one else that produces the goods consistently in the Premier League. This hopefully will change with Capellos new system and the emergence of people like Ashton and Agbonlahor.

Having said that, it must be quite difficult disappointing so many quality Centre Backs when you can only pick two. I for one would never play them out of position at Right or Left Back just to include them in the first eleven.

Here's my rank of the ten best English Centre Backs at this point.

Terry
Carragher
R Ferdinand
King
Richards
Woodgate
Upson
Lescott
Campbell
A Ferdinand

well, i don't know how much more or less effective his is, but i do know richards has been played at right back, and in a few of those ill fated england qualifiers and friendlies under mclaren he bombed up well and linked up with wright phillips and beckham to cause problems for their backs.

but when you're spoilt for choice and have to fit 10 into 2 places, especially in a position where consistency and as little rotation as possible is preferable, then you have to scope out who works well with who and make a choice and stick with it. i won't offer a suggestion because it probably wouldn't be based on anything more then a slight observation of the players working together. suffice to say, there is plenty of talent.

striking talent is somewhat plentiful imo - rooney, owen, defoe, crouch, agbonlahor, ashton, vassell, heskey, johnson. just that some of them aren't international class, a few are living on reputation, therefore above their current means and the ones with outstanding quality haven't played much together and would need time to gel.

at least i have an excuse at last to rid myself of football forever on principal.

thank you very much Richard Scudamore. Gam� 39 will finally give me a reason to quit my interest in football, once and for all.

ive watchind and followed football for the best part of 15 years, and ive never been so filled with apathy towards it. the people that run it hold every single fan in contempt. as do the players. and the heart of the game has at long last been truly torn out.

fin.

Poor Ronaldo. He may be fat now, but there was a time when he was the best in the world and probably one of the all time great strikers. If it wasn't for his shit knees and lack of fitness he'd still be up there today, as it is he hasn't been at all bad for Milan these last two years. But yeah, I reckon that'll be it for his career now. I think it's pretty devastating, actually.

fat or not, he was still scoring, but yeah, this latest injury should finish him off, its a shame, he's been one of the best strikers ever, that hat-trick at Old Trafford sticks in the mind, as one of the best individual displays ive ever seen(bar Keane vs Juve in 1999 of course.)

I was sure we would lose, but Jesus. At least it was against the best team in England and not, say, Barnsley or someone.

I was sure we would lose, but Jesus. At least it was against the best team in England and not, say, Barnsley or someone.

haha, what a laugh that match was, Barnsley taking down the great Liverpool What worse than getting killed by a non league team! Fucking hell, what a kick in the balls, OUCH. I hope the scousers can recover, more teams trying to break Ronaldo's legs IMO!

Somewhere at this moment, Minty is writing his suicide note.

I remember Mossy saying that Nani was just ok. I hope that yesterday's match has changed your mind man.

i laughed my ass off, quite frankly. sorry minty =/

R.I.P Minty

HAHA.

Poor sod, never will be the same person again, a big 4 team in the premier league beaten by a non league team. It's so sad and horrifying but yet so fucking hilarious.

They are in the Championship, so that's hardly the same as non-league.

chelsea are quivering in their boots, i'm sure.

also, if pompey can beat utd at old trafford, we can beat anyone. we always get utd in teh cup :(

They are in the Championship, so that's hardly the same as non-league.

depends on how an individual defines league and non league, it could be defined as all official football leagues with unofficial being non league or premiership being league and others non league.

I tend to define it in the standard sense, because by using individual interpretations you could decide every odd numbered position in Blue Square Premier was the football league and every other position existed in an unstable tangent universe, not to mention the non-leagues.

I tend to define it in the standard sense, because by using individual interpretations you could decide every odd numbered position in Blue Square Premier was the football league and every other position existed in an unstable tangent universe, not to mention the non-leagues.
True.
It's just that I see there being no official definition to border the two.
Makes the Pain for LP less but still great and hilarious.

I see all the arsenal fans have gone into the shadows, or is anyone who has recently posted an arse fan..if so, what do you have to say???

It was the pitch???, oh rite yeah, the turf keepers came out and swopped the pitch over everytime arsenal got the ball...pathetic.

And what the fuck was gallas doing to nani, fucking wanker..Thats why i hate arsenal, there mentality, is great until things dont go their way, then they start throwing their toys out the pram. And wenger just stands there and say's."errm i didnt see it",. And they seem to have this idea that, because they are arsenal, nobody can tackel them,,what the hell is that about????

they're still top though.

So?? i was talking about the team itself, not their position in the league.

Before we lost those points to City last weekend, i was sure we would still win the league. Then i thought, ahh, its a long shot. Now though, i reckon we will actually win. And if not us, then Chelsea..

I know. it sounds ridiculous. But here's why...

Arsenal, are, sooner or later going to be turned over (even though they were this weekend), in the league. And when they do, i think it'l take them a couple of games to get back on the horse. Now, while this is happening, chelsea, who i dont like, but that does nothing to the fact they are a great team, are still keeping close behind. I think this will be the chance, we and chelsea both need to overtake arsenal. If it doesnt come, then, yes arsenal will probably win the league. But also remember, They have still got to play, against us at Old Trafford, and Chelsea at Stammford Bridge.

But, my money is still on United to win the league(even if on goal diffrence).

Also, this speach would've been more suited to a month ago, rather then now..but we'll see..

So?? i was talking about the team itself, not their position in the league.

and? everyone knows arsenal are ungracious bastards. big deal. so are chelsea, so is Ferguson, its called a winning mentality.



Arsenal, are, sooner or later going to be turned over (even though they were this weekend), in the league.

and you know this how....? and what's to stop man ure or chelski losing another game?


And when they do, i think it'l take them a couple of games to get back on the horse

like when spurs beat them, everyone thought they'd drop the ball and they went on to win 4 in a row perhaps....?


But also remember, They have still got to play, against us at Old Trafford, and Chelsea at Stammford Bridge.

do you really think they'll roll over so easily again? and they have a great record at stamford bridge.

ermm, im not sure on how to break down the quotes, so il just answer them here.

1. I was talking about their attitude in the game, lashing out and sulking, i gave an example earlier, Gallas kicking Nani because he was bouncing the ball on his head. I never mentioned anything about them being ungracious.

2. Obviously, i dont know this, its my opinion, and i have seen it happen. but again, i dont know it will happen, i just think it will.

3. Yeah, did you see the team that they put out??, Spurs want to win something this season, and the Carling cup seemed just the thing, They wanted to win. I think Adeybayor, and a couple of others were the only "arsenal" players on the pitch. And, i cant see them being botherd about getting kicked out of the carling cup. I think, the FA cup, The European cup, and the leauge, were more pressing matters...

4. Yeah, i know their record at stamford bridge is good. But i just think, they will will beaten in both matches, we should have beaten them at the emirates, but for a stingy goal in the last minute. And as far as coming to Old Trafford is concernd, I already have a �100 bet on us winning.

all i have to say is that arsenal are still the best team in the world by far, our recent loss was in fact a cunning ploy to lure the united players into a false sense of security for our next encounter, at which point we will decisively crush them. they can have the cup anyways, nobody cares all that much about that.

arsenal always and forever!

ermm, im not sure on how to break down the quotes, so il just answer them here.

1. I was talking about their attitude in the game, lashing out and sulking, i gave an example earlier, Gallas kicking Nani because he was bouncing the ball on his head.

i.e being ungracious in defeat. i remember after newcastle won 3-1 at highbury(no, really they did) i remember sir bobby saying arsenal need to learn how to lose. they obviously havent.

i.e being ungracious in defeat. i remember after newcastle won 3-1 at highbury(no, really they did) i remember sir bobby saying arsenal need to learn how to lose. they obviously havent.

Yeah, thats true. Its another reason why i dont like them. But, be that as it may, they are still an extremely talented bunch of young players.

I see all the arsenal fans have gone into the shadows, or is anyone who has recently posted an arse fan..if so, what do you have to say???

Hardly in the shadows, I think I have the most posts of anyone in this thread.


It was the pitch???, oh rite yeah, the turf keepers came out and swopped the pitch over everytime arsenal got the ball...pathetic.

There are a few factors in my mind.

1) The league is the biggest prize, and there's the Champions League to compete in also. Neither side had absolute full strength teams out but Nani cost what, �15m, and he isn't a first team regular, Arsenal were playing the likes of Justin Hoyte who is dire. I mean, United have the better squad, no denying that, and Arsenal were caught out badly. Though at the same time, Arsenal's entire squad probably cost less than the transfer fees of Rooney and Ferdinand combined. It's all very well saying Chelsea bought the league, but United do spend about the same. I'm not trying to debate the ethics of spending lots to win, but at least we didn't sell foreign and have recently put safeguards in place to prevent such a scenario for another decade.

2) Arsenal conceded a few early on, and stopped performing. They weren't up for it after that.


And what the fuck was gallas doing to nani, fucking wanker..

And what? Roy Keane stamping on Baia's back, or hell, ending Haaland's career is okay? Eric Cantona kicking a fan in the face is fine? Jaap Stam taking steroids and being immediately banned when he joined Lazio or Rio Ferdinand out "shopping" is acceptable? Gallas shouldn't have kicked him, but he is captain to a team losing 4-0 and some kid is throwing shapes just to antagonise them some more. It may not have been warranted, but I am fairly certain Nani knew he would provoke a reaction. Don't be a hypocrite, is all I'm saying.


Thats why i hate arsenal, there mentality, is great until things dont go their way, then they start throwing their toys out the pram.

I accept Arsenal have a particular aversion to losing, but it is infinitely preferable to becoming comfortable with it instead. If it comes across as arrogance or even collective moodiness or something, I don't really care because it at least shows passion for what they're doing.


And wenger just stands there and say's."errm i didnt see it",.

This old criticism has never made sense. Why would a manager publicly criticise his players? He said "errm i didnt see it" about the Bendtner - Adebayor debacle against Tottenham but still fined Adebayor. There are more effective ways of dealing with indiscipline than criticising them for the sake of a MotD soundbite.


And they seem to have this idea that, because they are arsenal, nobody can tackel them,,what the hell is that about????

I don't agree with that either, but it is difficult to argue since it is clearly a partisan view. I can't bring up points one way or the other to change your mind on that.

All in all though man, I don't see why you are cAlLiNg ThE gOoNeRs out on a Final Fantasy internet forum. It's not like the fans are answerable for the players or vice versa. Maybe writing a letter of complaint to the FA might be more effective? Or something.

User Name Posts
MossY 151
Moonlapse Vertigo 132

i only have 26 :(

Is it only your admin skillz that let's you see those stats Duo?

emphatic win for mossy.

how any man utd fan can bash arsenal for their conduct is beyond me.

edit: click on replies in the main list of threads mossy. little mini window pops up.

Mossy, like i said, i cant break the quotes up. But anyway.

1. Sorry I didnt know you were an Arsenal fan. my mistake, because i know you have posted alot.


2. I was just refering to the fact many arsenal fan's were blaming the pitch.

3.reagarding you opinions on Roy keane, and ferdinand etc. Your completly right, but, you should know. My opinons on those issue's are as follows. Roy Keane's behaviour,for example the haarand issue, is terrible. He even admits, he did intentionly, for revenge. Keane was injured when he went in for a tackle against haaland, when he was playing for leeds. and apparently haaland stood over him, saying he was faking it. Cantona was stupid to do what he did, and he payed the appropriate price, and i agree with the rest of the issues you mentioned, staam, ferdinand etc, i just wont go into any detail.

There isnt much to say about the latter points in your post, as they are valid.most of those issue's are, like you said, a matter of opinion.

And i know the fans are not responsible for the players.I was just giving my opinion on the matter.

edit* i started typing this post before i had seen moonlaspe vertigo's

You type for a long time.

R.I.P Minty

Dirk casts Revive

Stevie casts Cure2

;-)

Hahahaha

Gratz to Liverpool on that one. Honestly didn't think they could pull out a win after that painful loss the other day. Cracking Stevie G goal too.

Dirk casts Revive

Stevie casts Cure2

;-)

lmao

depends on how an individual defines league and non league, it could be defined as all official football leagues with unofficial being non league or premiership being league and others non league.

Non-league in English terms is usually defined as all leagues which are not fully professional. However the way things are going the Conference could soon be totally pro (currently 19/20 teams out of 24 are pro if I remember right). So really you could argue the case for it to be absorbed into the Football League as 'League Three'.

Liverpool didn't impress well yesterday, even with Inter down a man. Lucky they got it at the end. Terrible attacking before the goal.

Hopefully Man Utd will do way better today. Got money on 'em :)

inter were pathetic though.

ibramhimovic is over-rated shite. he gets rave reviews but ive never seen him do anything. ever. plus he's a sulky tosser.

Yeah, how they are pissing their league if they play like that is beyond me.

And as for the Chelsea game, i think th..zzzzzzzzzzzz...

And what the fuck was gallas doing to nani, fucking wanker..Thats why i hate arsenal, there mentality, is great until things dont go their way, then they start throwing their toys out the pram. And wenger just stands there and say's."errm i didnt see it",. And they seem to have this idea that, because they are arsenal, nobody can tackel them,,what the hell is that about????

sorry mossy and other arsenal fans, but that's the worst thing about that club, they wrote the book on sulking and since the mid nineties when i starting watching football, they've done it more then anyone, even the modern chelsea and united and pool.

also, that game was somewhat awful to watch for one reason - the FA cup relegated in stature. it started when united pulled out for the world club cup, and it's a shame to see teams letting themselves down and giving it less importance.


Dirk casts Revive

Stevie casts Cure2

;-)

haha. they played with a lot of heart against an inter team who really embarrassed themselves with their lack of quality. it has to be said though - even though it couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke - materazzi didn't deserve a red. torres flopped to the ground like a fairy twice, and used the big cunt's reputation against him; the way fat rafa wagged his sausage fingers at the ref was insipid too. i suppose he's lucky the yanks are having a bigger mare then him currently, otherwise the 'passionate' scouse would have turned on him too. although i'm not saying the ref didn't balance his incompetence out; he did when he ignored vieira's handball, and was generally poor throughout the match.


Non-league in English terms is usually defined as all leagues which are not fully professional. However the way things are going the Conference could soon be totally pro (currently 19/20 teams out of 24 are pro if I remember right). So really you could argue the case for it to be absorbed into the Football League as 'League Three'.

the premier league is just the top division of the english tiered league system. accurately, the conference is actually league 5, which means whatever name it's given and whatever status the clubs that play in it are, IT'S A FUCKING SHITHOUSE. that said, the clubs down there seem to have more to do with actual football, graft and indentification with the fans who support them then up top, but it's still the 5th division.


inter were pathetic though.

ibramhimovic is over-rated shite. he gets rave reviews but ive never seen him do anything. ever. plus he's a sulky tosser.

yes, he is. a lot like trezeguet, van nistelrooy on a bad day, mido, samaras etc. he has bag loads of ability, can hit right beauties, and when in a team that is playing to support him and on his day can make him look one of the best players in the world. but the fact is, he's temperamental, often lucky with bounces and referee calls and the rest of it and cannot actually do anything other then score. as he showed yesterday with his pathetic efforts up front.



anyway, a couple of things. the quota on internationals playing for english clubs - bullshit, there should be no quota. if it's economically more viable and the player's have more quality, then get the foreign devils in. these club's aren't representing england, however much the blinkered press would like to believe they are; they're representing themselves.

next up, almunia thinks his house is haunted. who thinks lehmann sprinkled some ket in his cornflakes?

finally, a solution i thought of to poor matches and selective performance and team selection; performance based pay, across the board, for all clubs and players. it would be a stretch too far and too complicated to venture for performance based ticket prices too (the playing field is far too uneven now to successfully implement that and it would just make things worse unfairly) but performance based pay would probably increase the quality of football across the board, IMO.

Just on the idea of introducing a quota, I think, naturally as an Arsenal fan I suppose, the idea is ridiculous. It would just encourage a slide toward mediocrity if teams had to start playing players who only make the grade by virtue of being less bad than their compatriots. It's the FA's own fault that they find themselves in a position where, proportionate to population, they lack the strength of other footballing superpowers. Report after report concluded that there had to be greater investment in youth- France, Holland, Germany, Brazil and Italy all have renowned youth development centres- and for quotas to be introduced would be for the responsibility of overseeing the national game go from its historical caretakers, the FA, to the clubs.

Having said that, England does have a better youth policy than Ireland whose whole philosophy is literally to take all the England rejects with Irish grandparents; absolutely disgraceful. Trappattoni is a good manager but seeing as we have about one world class player in Robbie Keane and a good prospect in Stephen Ireland and not much else, there's only so much you can do.

wage cap. np.

wage cap. np.

it'd have to be international, though, else everyone would bugger off to spain or italy and they'd have the same problems over there. in principle, though, i think that'd be a decent way of going about things.

Well, we were lucky to grab that goal last night. Makes things easier at Old Trafford. The laser thing is funny. What about Adebayor?? You'd have thought he would have burried that..

Absolutely appalling tackle by Taylor. There is literally no connection between Eduardo's ankle and foot after the challenge. That's him out until next Christmas, I reckon. Absolutely appalling.

Got some shots of it here too.




Looks pretty nasty stuff.

I honestly think it could be the end of his career, and will no doubt severely affect his game even if it isn't. No one is the same after something like that =(

I feel for the guy definitely, but I don't think, or hope, that it'll be the end of his career. Henrik Larsson did something just as serious when he was at Celtic about 10 years ago and came back an even better player in the end.

D:

Ouch! That is just appalling. I hope it isnt the end of his career.

jesus christ :(

Man, I fucking hate Youtube. "lol, craking takle der taylor", "forein scumbag", "ARSEanal didnt care wen alan smith brok his leg" and all that. I mean, fuck's sake, he might never walk again. Furthermore though, initially I was inclined to think that it was probably just a case of tragic mistiming of Taylor's tackle, this shot shows that his foot was far far too high and his studs are completely exposed. He hits Eduardo's leg in the middle of the calf and works down to the foot.

Jesus fuck you can see right there just what's about to happen to his leg. I can't imagine how painful that musta been.

As for the other thing I wouldn't blame youtube, it's those ignorant fuckers supporting other clubs. I mean fucking come on, because he plays for a separate club from the one you support it makes it funny or okay that he's blown out parts of his leg?! Stupid fucks clearly don't understand what he's going to go through because of this.

I winced at those pictures. I cannot begin to imagine how painful that must have been. He's young though, and should recover to have a decent career. Djibril Cisse went through the same thing and is still playing.

Also, Wenger went a bit overboard in his criticism of Taylor; it was a horrendous tackle, but I'm certain no-one ever does that sort of thing intentionally. Certainly, he should not be forced to quit playing because of that.

Wenger apologised after I think, saying he was caught up in the heat of the moment. Honestly, I probably woulda said the same in that position.

Yeah, I read that on the BBC site just after posting that comment. I still would not have said the same as Wenger did, though. It would have been different if he'd intended to hurt Eduardo, but honestly, in a country where Roy Keane, someone who has openly admitted to wanting to injure another player, is revered by many, we need to lay off those like Taylor who have good intentions, and just accept that in a contact sport like football these things will happen from time to time.

Horrific injury, I don't think Taylor should be victimised though because I don't think he meant it. All the same, absolutely horrible, hopefully he recovers.

And in other news, that's a cup for Spurs in a 2-1 win over Chelski.

i think it is understandable for wenger to have said that at the time!

So Newcastle is in what 13th place?

who are newcastle?

lulz

who are newcastle?

i lol'd

Pretty graphic new video

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z2_mXOBR6HU

ouch :(

ouch indeed!!

Fucking hell. That's unbelievable. The amount of pain that Eduardo must have gone through, I can't imagine.

I always see the MOTD repeat on a Sunday morning because I have work at 8 or so, but this morning they couldn't even show that clip.

Eduardo had surgery and has vowed to come back on a brighter note, but I really don't think he'll have a lot of say in that.

who are newcastle?

The result of a fat mackem son of a bitch selling the good and buying crap, no-one can have a hope of managing this current mess no matter how many decent players exist within this place.

Liverpool to Dubai then?

We can only hope.

Also, I seriously am beginning to support an international salary cap. It'd be good for the game.

The problem with a new salary cap is you just know that Gary Neville was cast himself as a modern day Jimmy Hill and come out against it as it is a footballers divine right to earn shed loads of money and act like a git especially if they play for the Stretford Rangers

That and I bet the EU wouldn't be too pleased, but frankly it's the only way to bring some sense of proportion back into the game.

... i maintain performance based pay :-P the EU would be less likely to stand against that, for a start.

chelsea were pathetic in the cup and after seeing lampard and terry bull their ways back into the side, displacing form players like alex, joe cole and *i can't believe i'm saying this* superkrautcunt ballack and lone forwards anelka and drogba lumped together in attack, i feared the worst, a cup final loss to the spuds, who have from board room to pub as expected started yelling about winning the superbowl the olympics and the fucking nobel prize as well as the world cup and everything else there is to win just because they beat a chelsea side with a lot of problems and preconceptions they haven't addressed. it's the FUCKING CARLING CUP LADS. it's so pathetically unimportant, other national leagues across europe and beyond don't even have one. it's a poor man's FA cup. the cup winners cup and the european cup and the fairs cup were all valid tournaments based on league winners, cup winners and so forth as entrants. the league cup is nothing.

and im not being bitter that we lost to yiddos either. i'm more pissed off about how little any defeats will mean for grant's employment security - he's roman's chum and he's got it as long as he wants it. i'm so fucking glad i decided to stop being a paying fan.

today lampard said 'i cleaned da b0otz of da west hammerz an did dubul trainin sesh's and da yoof of taday don't luk twice at me and don't lissen or nuffin' pot calling kettle black i think.

the eduardo case is unfortunate imo, it wasn't particularly malicious, and kudos to eduardo for having the grace to forgive the man who did it, and by the way taylor had nothing but apologies for it too. wenger and his team finally have something justifiably serious to moan and niggle about. i hope eduardo gets well soon though; here we have a flair player, who doesn't talk out of place, i haven't seen dive and who has suffered an injury that could potentially end his career if he doesn't work hard to rehabilitate. i don't usually think much of players who play for countries other then their own, but this guy seems alright, and hopefully it won't ruin him.

liverpool fans show their class again by spitting at hicks' junior and chasing him out of a pub. and although it's funny to see middlesbrough squirm, i have to agree about the aliadiere sending off hubbub - mascherano deserved as much punishment as the frenchman did, and it's hypocritical and inconsistent to suggest otherwise, but then i guess the FA thrive on such 'qualities'.

i always end up writing essays here. perhaps if the state of the game was more satisfactory and fair, we would have less to talk about.

i really dont give a toss anymore. i havent for a long time. i just never admitted it.

modern day footballers are a bunch of contemptible pricks. clubs, chairmen et al see us as cash cows, nothing more.

liverpool fans show their class again by spitting at hicks' junior and chasing him out of a pub.Indeed, let us judge the overall integrity of fans based solely on the actions of the minority.

Sounds absolutely reasonable to me.

i really dont give a toss anymore. i havent for a long time. i just never admitted it.

modern day footballers are a bunch of contemptible pricks. clubs, chairmen et al see us as cash cows, nothing more.

agreed, unfortunately. it especially grates to read pricks like lampard and gerrard and ferdinand and ronaldinho and henry giving hollow, scripted interviews that claim humbleness and preach and defend their opulent petulant self righteous ways and their overrated stardom. you can tell when a few of them really mean it and who they are, but generally it's a circus. i only watch because i always have and i love it on the pitch; i don't pay and never will unless it returns in state to a sport i never even knew in my time.


Indeed, let us judge the overall integrity of fans based solely on the actions of the minority.

Sounds absolutely reasonable to me.

LOL

wel UEFA ses u hav no integritty (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/athens-2007/2007/06/04/uefa-brands-liverpool-fans-worst-in-europe-64375-19241524/)

being serious, every fanbase has its wankers, without exception. chelsea in the 80s was a BNP breeding ground for instance. those fucking headhunters who got friendly with the rangers sectarians.

perhaps i shouldnt word it to make it seem that i am pigeonholing all liverpool fans together based on the behaviour exhibited towards hicks' son. however, observe;
- athens final;
- reports of gerrard leaving;
- many experiences watching matches in chester in town
- and the hicks' son incident etc.
these things show me that a large number of the massive fanbase liverpool commands are disgusting chav cunts, and i wince whenever i hear some contractually obliged PC commentator laud them as the 'best fans in da world' despite the fickle, not to mention all the despicable aforementioned.

anyway, this sounds a little like a pedantic vitriol so i'll just slip in a disclaimer that there are generally very few fanbases around who support their club through thick and thin, don't contain any violent elements and aren't succeptible to mass fickleness. besides, quite a few of my mates are reds.

Last minute again!! Arrgghh. Never mind, were only one point behind now. But still, thats so annoying. Should lampard have been sent off??

Jesus, makelele's tackle was horrible, He shoulda been sent of for that. Also, did you see it kicking off with blackburn. I lol'd

balls

LOL

wel UEFA ses u hav no integritty (http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/athens-2007/2007/06/04/uefa-brands-liverpool-fans-worst-in-europe-64375-19241524/)

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/03/03/uefa-we-were-in-wrong-on-athens-100252-20550990/

Also, Gaillard (the only person in Uefa that made those comments) has long since retracted them and apologized.


perhaps i shouldnt word it to make it seem that i am pigeonholing all liverpool fans together based on the behaviour exhibited towards hicks' son. however, observe;
- athens final;
- reports of gerrard leaving;
- many experiences watching matches in chester in town
- and the hicks' son incident etc.

these things show me that a large number of the massive fanbase liverpool commands are disgusting chav cunts, and i wince whenever i hear some contractually obliged PC commentator laud them as the 'best fans in da world' despite the fickle, not to mention all the despicable aforementioned.
The athens final events were caused by a small number of twats (who were condemned by every liverpool supporter group on the face of the planet), and Uefa's own shambolic planning of the event. Admittedly, the silly bastards that publicly burned their gerrard shirts were just that, but again we're talking about a small number of people. And again, a few twats in a pub throw a pint over hick's son - hardly the collective decision of liverpool's fanbase.

I'm in no way suggesting that liverpool fans are the best in the world, but their reputation has been garnered for over a decade based on the support of their own players on matchday, irrespective of the results, the constantly sold-out attendances, and the appreciation of opposition players and supporters alike (although not all, naturally)


anyway, this sounds a little like a pedantic vitriol so i'll just slip in a disclaimer that there are generally very few fanbases around who support their club through thick and thin, don't contain any violent elements and aren't succeptible to mass fickleness. Agreed on both points.

i got a good price on Torres to get his 3rd hat-trick in a row, against the donkeys he'll be playing against tommorow, who would bet against it?

(now watch Rafa 'rest' him tommorow -_-)

also, arsenal were epic tuesday. best display i think ive ever seen from them, and thats quite a feat. who the hell is that guy playing that resembles Flamini? holy crap.

Yeah arsenal played really well. And id fancy your chances with that bet. what bookies?

just the Ladbrookes down the road. 33-1. Yes please.

okay thanks, that bet will be being placed asap.

Manchester United 0 - 1 Portsmouth.

Great result. :D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7272810.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7272806.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7272575.stm

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA







.....................





HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA



BEST

FA CUP DAY

EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

seriously. i echo this sentiment.

I wanna cry. :( ;-;

FUCKING YES


best FA cup in years? jesus of nazareth it is

1 premiership side left.

wow.

shame for rovers, they weren't bad until west brom went 3-1

hoping for anyone but barnsley next, and i'm only half-joking

WBA v Portsmouth final I think.

I just hope Cardiff don't get into it otherwise the Western Mail won't be able to talk about anything else for weeks.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/03/03/uefa-we-were-in-wrong-on-athens-100252-20550990/

Also, Gaillard (the only person in Uefa that made those comments) has long since retracted them and apologized.

The athens final events were caused by a small number of twats (who were condemned by every liverpool supporter group on the face of the planet), and Uefa's own shambolic planning of the event. Admittedly, the silly bastards that publicly burned their gerrard shirts were just that, but again we're talking about a small number of people. And again, a few twats in a pub throw a pint over hick's son - hardly the collective decision of liverpool's fanbase.

I'm in no way suggesting that liverpool fans are the best in the world, but their reputation has been garnered for over a decade based on the support of their own players on matchday, irrespective of the results, the constantly sold-out attendances, and the appreciation of opposition players and supporters alike (although not all, naturally)

Agreed on both points.

yes, anfield on a big matchday is a fucking cauldron, most of my post was really OTT, and was less an attack of the collective liverpool fanbase then of the smatterings and pockets of extreme tenants fueled twats who pop up in every other fanbase known to man, and of the over zealous media who like pretty bandwagons and tend to jump on them whenever they can and end up making more stories and reputations then ones that already exist to be reported about


i got a good price on Torres to get his 3rd hat-trick in a row, against the donkeys he'll be playing against tommorow, who would bet against it?

(now watch Rafa 'rest' him tommorow -_-)

also, arsenal were epic tuesday. best display i think ive ever seen from them, and thats quite a feat. who the hell is that guy playing that resembles Flamini? holy crap.

yes, that win over milan was the sort of performance that arsenal give every now and then which justifies all of wengers siege mentality exercises and arrogance. can't say i'm sad that they blew two points again today though, haha


Manchester United 0 - 1 Portsmouth.

Great result. :D

get in pompey. wasn't exactly an even match, but a win's a win, and it doesn't matter how you get it. it's satisfying to see fergie and quieroz fume and stew, because there's nothing they can do and it just shows what a pair of bitter jumped up cunts they are when things don't go their way. i feel a little sorry for kuszczak, who's from the same country as my family, but he's made mistakes before, like in a friendly against colombia (look it up it's hilarious) and besides, rooney and andersen didn't help by exposing the goalie and leaving mr 'light as a feather convincing as an oscar winner' baros free in the middle by closing down the guy on the right.


shame for rovers, they weren't bad until west brom went 3-1

hoping for anyone but barnsley next, and i'm only half-joking

they done in liverpool and chelsea, both deservedly so, and will see this as an opportunity to write their names in the history books now, so i wouldn't want to draw them either, especially seeing how well they coped with both teams.

i'm just glad the spuds and goons and scouse and *thank god* smoggy boro are out too. even if pompey win it, this will be a ground breaking FA cup, that reaffirms that magic the press and pundits love to go on about, and it's a chance for someone to break up the hegemony of the big four for a change too.

JFTR. Rooney should be disciplined for his tackle/lunge. Ferguson should say something to him. That coulda been alot worse.

Double post, cause i wanna, So Barnsley VS Cardiff and Pompey VS the Baggies. Should be good. My money is on West Brom to go on and win it. What about you guys?

Pompey.

Pompey will win it, but unfortunately Cardiff will get to the final. Shame.

pompeyyy

hopefully pompey

sorry cookie, but i have to go with pompey. they weren't great against united but they'll see this as a big chance for some silverware, obviously. and despite the heroics of the other 3 teams this season in different ways, i reckon pompey have this. i could be wrong though, especially since the form book's finally been rendered completely redundant in the cup this year like the pundits say it's supposed to be every year.

Not sure who'll win it because it's so unpredictable this year. I'd like to say a lower league side would go and take it, but I really like Harry so I'm not too bothered really. I can just sit back and enjoy it this year.

It annoyed me a lot when the media harped on about the cup being devalued as none of the so called 'big six' were involved for over twenty years because you try telling United and Liverpool they didn't give it everything they had. They were just beaten by the better side on the day.

Having said that, one journalist did say 'It's been brilliant, but you want to see David vs Goliath in the final, not David vs David' which I kind of agree with. It would be pretty crap if it was two Championship teams, like a play-off final.

So I'm hoping for Portsmouth vs Barnsley. Barnsley because foremostly they've put out two massive sides, which is more than some European teams have managed (haha Inter btw), and secondly because they'll actually get a UEFA Cup spot. I find the fact that Cardiff can't get into Europe on that technicality absolutely obscene. Surely it's just another berth. It shouldn't be about the nationality.

Also, probability of two English sides getting drawn against each other in the Champs League Quarters is pretty high now.

Man United vs Liverpool
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Arsenal vs Chelsea
Chelsea vs Man United
Chelsea vs Liverpool
Man United vs Arsenal

I'm going for Arsenal vs Chelsea

PLACE YOUR BETS NOW!



BETTING ENDS!

inter were utterly putrid last night.

and im trying to decide who is worse.

Kuyt or Ibrahimovich?

i've seen Ibrahimovich a dozen times and ive NEVER seen him play well, ever.

how the fuck does he have 20+ goals, seriously.

wouldn't it be fun if the last 4 were all english

then all the "omg the fa cup is shit" brigade could be satisfied; they'd see the boring sides battle it out in every way except literally for a trophy.

lol @ Jenas.

did someone say choke?

also, i feel dirty for being gutted that Everton didnt win, they were magnificent.

I really want the last 4 to be all english, It'd be great. I feel well bad for spurs and everton. I wanted them both to go through. Nevermind, there are more important things to worry about.

i think the CL and UEFA cup results in the last few weeks show the distance between the top 4 and the rest of the premiership in terms of quality and experience at the top level of football. lol.

seriously, everton and spurs were both unlucky and gave a good account of themselves although neither club will see that as much consolation beyond the managers who will try to use that to rouse them for the rest of the season. liverpool look back on for fourth.

ibrahimovic has a bully character and a touch of quality that can provide the odd moment of brilliance, and he gets a lot of service from his club mates. but against a team like liverpool, that actually make you work for the ball? torres was a fucking fairy and got materazzi sent off on reputation alone in the first leg, but despite that, inter were severely lacking in enterprise throughout that first leg, and although they spurned a few chances in the second leg they didn't deserve to go through.

uefa have said they will intervene and let cardiff into europe if they win the FA cup (i think the losing finalist gets a place too, so if cardiff make it, uefa will let them in) which is only fair really.

i really like all the changes and conviction platini has shown to try and level the playing field on and off the pitch since taking over at uefa, but he's made a slight mistake in rubbishing the merits of the hawkeye technology IMO. that sort of technology would remove the possibility of travesties like the mendes goal against united or the garcia goal in the 05 CL semi (IT WASN'T A FUCKING GOAL YOU WANKERS, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PENALTY BUT NOT A GOAL) happening ever again. it's been proven to work in tennis and 2 extra goal linesmen would cost a lot and still be susceptible to error. the french open is the only major tennis tournament to decline the use of the hawkeye technology. coincidence?

Bollocks.

Just what we didn't want.

Well, odds dictated that with 4/8 chances are two would get drawn together.

The Arse in the Quarters
The Russians in the Semis
The Mankys in the Final

Yeah, dead easy.

=/

hmm, its guna be interesting this one. Im looking forward to watching the games..:)

Will, I think the losing finalists only get a UEFA Cup place if the winners qualify for Europe via the league. Portsmouth can still do that, but the other three obviously can't. I don't think any of them will qualify for Europe via the league, though, since Spurs have already taken up one spot for the Carling Cup, leaving two spots for the league, which may well be reduced to one if Portsmouth win the cup.

There's a complex permutations page on BBC sport explaining all the crap behind it.

yes, very interesting. and i think it's safe to say that there is a very high probability, 3 to 1 to be exact, that an english team will make the final. no wait, an england based football club, teehee. i can see at least one surprise result though, and it might just be chelsea getting knocked out, fenerbahce have a hell of a squad of turks and brazilians and some solid backing, as well as the same manager, zico, for years now. such stability can only breed success, and they play great football on top of it. i think barca and mancyank united will have to be at their best to get past schalke and roma too, but history and experience should tell. scouse goons? i can't say. very evenly matched and intriguing.


Will, I think the losing finalists only get a UEFA Cup place if the winners qualify for Europe via the league. Portsmouth can still do that, but the other three obviously can't. I don't think any of them will qualify for Europe via the league, though, since Spurs have already taken up one spot for the Carling Cup, leaving two spots for the league, which may well be reduced to one if Portsmouth win the cup.

There's a complex permutations page on BBC sport explaining all the crap behind it.

thanks, sounds nice and convoluted. john motson's idea of a good time. so i guess that means winner takes all then. i used to know all these rules off by heart but i can't be bothered trying to decypher them now. whoever wins this FA cup deserves it, and the spoils.

Anyone for a Liverpool/Man U final? I can see the scousers pulling it out with the gunners; I usually bet on 'em in the Champions League. And I can see the red devils as well as the scousers managing through to the final over each leg.

arsenal are going to win, liverpool just dont have a chance imo

Id love a liverpool/United final. Mainly because we would beat them, and there could no longer be the "we won it five times" argument, because we could just say, well, we beat you. Pretty simple really, :p

This isn't Liverpool in the Premier League.

This is Liverpool in Europe.

We would destroy you.

Jftr.

if it is united versus liverpool i will be supporting liverpool ^~

Okay, a few things. First of all ARRRRGGGHHHH. Why the hell do Arsenal always get that desperate goal, right at the death.!!? Second of all, i eventually decided that they could have easily won it, so im not that botherd.

Mido is an idiot, although, like it was shown on MOTD, his eyes were on the ball, it was still a stupid thing to do. Im just glad Clichy isnt to badly hurt.

Now, all we have to do is beat the scousers at Old Trafford, and we get into a tiny bit of comfort.

And, what did i say a few weeks back ?, Chelsea were guna be the ones to watch.. and if they win their game in hand, i think that puts them level with arsenal. So, its going to be a exiting few weeks anyway.

mido, more like GET IN SHAPE YOU OVERWEIGHT SHOE BOMBER.

also, we lose tonight and we are truly fucked. which we will, as we have 0 heart, and 0 backbone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxBVzf8PLWc

rofl

mido, more like GET IN SHAPE YOU OVERWEIGHT SHOE BOMBER..

Haha. Very true.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxBVzf8PLWc

rofl


lols :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxBVzf8PLWc

rofl

lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxBVzf8PLWc

rofl

yeah, that's pretty good :) jeff is prone to a few clangers himself, i remember watching a soccer saturday once and he was going through a few recent goals and then his eyes bulged and he went absolutely fucking mental, and then he tells us why he's screamed his lungs out for about 2 minutes in exasperation - 'barnsley have just won a penalty' i though ok mate, bloody hell, you'll give yourself a superhernia if someone in the premiership scores

but yeah, 'not lions... not tigers... BEAVERS'

Michael Owen saves the day. Just hope the strike force can pull a sort of unison effect and compensate for the lack of a defence to save us.

Hell of a goal though.

SWEEEEEETTTTT. Now, bring on the scousers!!!!! Also, Chelsea, spurs was a great game.

Double post!! But this is worth it. i really lol'd :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MusyO7J2inM

Ah, a 2-0 victory, a victory for the first time in 3 months. Viduka is a monster!

poor performance. poor result. mascheranos sending off was a joke though.

I dont see why it was a joke. He was arguing with the referee for ages. All the team were telling him to back off and he wouldnt. So he deserved to walk.

Also, all the talk about torres, how good he is, and how he would cause us problems. All he did for the entire game was talk himself into booking. And not much else. Gerrard was quiet, but he always is against us.

I would have preffered a draw at Stamford bridge, but never mind. We'll se what happens.

lol @ Mascherano

shit weekend of football

Im glad Newcastle got a win. I lol'd at keegans OTT praise of Owen though. He is okay, but nothing compared to the Owen of five years ago. Injury has scarred his career. But newcastle could do alot worse.

what else is he supposed to say then? what does it do if KK comes out in public and says Owen isnt the player he was. sure it might be true, but managers are always placed in compromising positiions.

Im glad Newcastle got a win. I lol'd at keegans OTT praise of Owen though. He is okay, but nothing compared to the Owen of five years ago. Injury has scarred his career. But newcastle could do alot worse.

It was the same with Shearer, injury almost crippled his performance but even in his later days he was a bulldozer, just pure power.

Owen's really come down a few steps from injury but he's still better than the average player, if he can keep fit he can score goals, if he can score goals the media will stop hassling him as much.

What Owen needs to keep sharp at Newcastle is a player that can set up goals, a player that can keep ahead of him without losing the ball. Martins is ideal but he doesn't seem to be able to do it, he's small, fast and sharp but not a good passer.

Really, I don't know, it's one of those wait and see situations.

I think Owen's still as good as he always was. Although he's lost a bit of pace due to the injuries, he still has the instinct in the area which is basically how he has scored most of his goals throughout his playing career. Also, his positional and tactical play have improved, as they generally do during a player's career.

His desire to give 100% for Newcastle this year, even though they have no hope of achieving any honours is also commendable. Keegan's praise was OTT in the grander scheme of things, but in the context of Newcastle's season players like him and Martins are going to be absolutely crucial, so I broadly agree with his assessment.

Another thing i forgot to mention. I really wish Anderson would learn how to shoot. He is absolutley terrible.

if Owen gets decent service, he will always score. simple as.

I dont see why it was a joke. He was arguing with the referee for ages. All the team were telling him to back off and he wouldnt. So he deserved to walk.

It was a joke because if that game had happened a week ago, neither of the two players would have been booked.

Just because all the talk this weekend has been about respecting the officials and perhaps bringing in the Captains Only rule in to sort it out, doesn't give Bennett the right to start booking players randomly on a whim if they tell him something he doesn't want to hear.

Look at Cole against Spurs. Not only was the challenge a straight red from the start, the entire Chelsea team surrounded the ref and not one got cautioned, and the abuse was much stronger and more intimidating than Torres who blinked at Bennett and that was about it, and Cole escapes with a timid booking.

Don't get me wrong, if it was a United player on the receiving end I'd be making the same case, but of course we're at Old Trafford and there's no way if Rooney had sprinted across the pitch, muttered two words to the official he would have gave him a second yellow. He would probably have patted his little Shrek-cheeks and fellated Fergie in the tunnel at half time.

The main complaint has been about the CONSISTENCY in refereeing. And booking two players randomly for very very minor complaints just because it's been this weeks hot topic is not consistent when you look at the number of times over the course of the season that virtually an entire team has surrounded the referee and nothing has been brandished.

Hell even the FA have turn a blind eye to some awful acts of intimidation. Which is why Poll quit.

They need to review the laws of the game at the end of a season and start fresh in the new year. Not decide with eight games to go to start making an example of two players at random just because you think you've grown a pair.

Also, the whole 'He got what he deserved for continually arguing' is bullshit. He got carded BEFORE he refused to leave the pitch for running over a saying perhaps two words to Bennett. Yes, it was immature going off the way he did but being a bit of a hot myself I can understand his frustration. I'd have wanted to lamp the bald cunt as well after that.


Also, all the talk about torres, how good he is, and how he would cause us problems. All he did for the entire game was talk himself into booking. And not much else. Gerrard was quiet, but he always is against us.Also, all the talk about torres, how good he is, and how he would cause us problems. All he did for the entire game was talk himself into booking. And not much else. Gerrard was quiet, but he always is against us.

And Ronaldo caused us problems? Always the case in these matches. The hyped players go missing.

Liverpool have been scared of United for years now, and it's fucking annoying and pathetic in equal measure. If we actually went there with a sense of purpose and a bit of iron will we'd give you a bloody good game.

And the most ridiculous thing of all? If it had been on a cold Wednesday evening at 7:45 with the Champs League music playing, no-one would back against the score being the other way round. Dumb dumb dumb.

And Ronaldo caused us problems? Always the case in these matches. The hyped players go missing.

Well, he didnt cause you problems, as such, but at least he scored a goal. But your right, in the big matches, the huge players seem to be quiet. Il will also say that if you look at torres' goal record. I think nearly all his goals this season have been against the teams in the bottom half of the table.



And the most ridiculous thing of all? If it had been on a cold Wednesday evening at 7:45 with the Champs League music playing, no-one would back against the score being the other way round. Dumb dumb dumb.


Well, as for this, i could not want a Liverpool/United final more. And It will be great to see who wins. But that is a long way off yet. There are huge games in line for both of us before it could get to that stage. My point is, you cant say that just because its the champions league, the result would have been totally different.


Also, regarding the booking/sending off. Steve bennet was involved in a controversial incident recently. Therefore he is going to be on his toes. If you make a mistake, and are warned about it. You don't make the same mistake in the next game you referee.

minty's right, but there was always going to be a fallout, the FA and the referees have ended up looking plain silly.

Bennett has always been a joke of a ref anyway. He shouldnt even be in charge of games in the local park.

if Owen gets decent service, he will always score. simple as.

If I get decent service, I'll score as well.

Doesn't make me an amazing football player though. Owen has moments of excellence, but these moments are few and far between.

If I get decent service, I'll score as well.

Doesn't make me an amazing football player though. Owen has moments of excellence, but these moments are few and far between.



i agree, owen has talent but gets far too much attention and needs great service to score, he's a lot like trezeguet and ibrahimovic and hasselbaink and raul and del piero and that, if the team play well and give him chances on a plate he'll step up, but he isn't as effective getting stuck in and getting involved with the general play.

i hate the overkill attention he gets. it's like the fuss over beckham and his potential century cap. who the hell cares? for fuck sake. a statistic only tells half the story.

I don't think that waiting for service is a bad thing, some players are literally just strikers and nothing more.

But at least the likes of Del Piero et al put away their chances on a regular basis, apart from every now and then.

So.. Which managers will still be here next season? With a few unbacked decisions on my point of view, Benitez? Avram Grant? Well, I hope Avram Grant isn't here next season anyway, He just isn't Chelsea, and after reading John Terry's book again, I realise how un-chelsea he really is compared to Mourinho..

DISCUSS

Owen learnt all he can from the Lineker school of hiding in the box, tis a bit harsh on Piero if you liken him to that goal poaching fiend as his game has always been a lot more than simply goal hanging and the occasional neat finish.

Also can't see the resemblance between him and Ibrahimovic since almost all his efforts are sparked by his own moment of skill rather than relying on pace to beat his man.

Rhyfelwyr: Shw' mae!

Also, I pretty much agree with what Meph said about Owen. He's there to score goals and does that job, even if he doesn't contribute much of anything else to the team. Often the best players in football are as such because they know when to stand still. Sounds stupid, but there's a lot to be said of a team that broadly holds its shape as opposed to a team of Rooneys and Savages who run around like headless chickens. Having one Savage or Rooney can be beneficial, but you do need Makeleles, Vieiras and Owens too.

I think Benitez and Grant may go if both fail to win either the league or the European Cup. Also, Megson if Bolton go down, and possibly Hodgson if Fulham do really badly in the last few months of the year. Mohamed al Fayed is not exactly known for his patience, having fired Coleman after two years despite doing a pretty good job.

Rhyfelwyr: Shw' mae!

Noswaith dda!

As for the manager debate I'm pretty sure Grant is there solely due to his relationship with Abramovich, so I can't feasibly see him leaving after such a short stint in charge. I hope Benitez stays and I can't really see them getting rid of him unless Liverpool miss out on the 4th spot which I find unlikely. Still, if either of them were to go I'm not sure who could replace them, although Lippi has the pedigree I'm not whether he would want to manage in England.

Obviously Grant originally got the job because he's Roman's buddy but I think he's done pretty well since he took over. Two rather unlucky cup results don't change the fact that his league record is extremely good. So I think there's a case for keeping him there on merit, but that may depend on whether he wins a trophy this year. Abramovich's main goal must be trophies and he could pretty much get any manager he wanted, so I doubt he'd keep Grant there just for the sake of it.

Yeah I'm not arguing Grant is only there because of his relationship with Abramovich as both his league record and the fact he's essentially playing with the mismatch of players brought in by Ranieri and Mourinho should ensure him another year. Still with all the rumours surrounding Benitez/Klinsmann and Grant/Rijkaard it wouldn't surprise me to find at least one of them coming true.

Klinsmann is taking over at Bayern is he not? I certainly recall a news article on the BBC site saying he had signed some sort of contract with them. If he's manager there, I doubt he'd want to move to Liverpool. It'd be a step sideways, at best.

As for Rjkaard, it's been speculated for years that Chelsea are after him but nothing has ever happened, and I doubt that will change in the near future.

That Klinsmann job seems to have skipped me by completely, reckon it will be a good test for him as oppose to international. He did a pretty good job at the world cup till Piero literally ruined his team.

The Rijkaard/Chelsea rumour mill has started in full with Mourinho constantly being touted as next Barcelona boss. Still I can't see Rijkaard being sacked and there's no way he would choose to leave them for Chelsea.

So, the internationals were tonight. I just watched Wales beat Luxembourg 2-0 in quite possibly the most boring football match ever.

Good result for Northern Ireland winning 4-1 and Scotland at least did better than England against Croatia.

And of course, this amazing English side never fails to stun me with their footballing brilliance. :laugh:

So, thoughts?

The Wales result was expected and another win so I'm relatively happy, apart from my intense dislike of Freddy Eastwood.

Nice to see NI and Scotland fairing pretty well, whilst England were pretty much the same as usual. Crouch doesn't even start for Lerpwl so I really can't see why he should be there ahead of either Defoe or Ashton, whilst despite them not being all that great, they still have better form. Even Agbonglahor (sp?) would have merited an inclusion ahead of him and I'm surprised Ashley Young didn't get a chance on the wing.

Rooney doesn't impress up front on his own and looks like he prefers a role in behind the striker, which is a pity since they can't seem to find a striker who can step up and do what Shearer did for them.

Freddie Eastwood is practically a deity in my eyes. I don't see what's to dislike, personally, especially if he keeps scoring goals the way he has been.

So, is Gerrard going to grow any balls when he plays for England?

Is anybody going to?? The entire team is a shambles. They should get the likes of ashley young, and abonglahore (Spell??, i really dont know how to spell that) and make a fresh start. bring the youngsters in now. Get them prepared. As for beckam, if he ever plays for england again il show my arse. I really dont think he will/should.

Did you know that england are not even in the top 8 in odds for the winners of the next cup.. And they shouldnt be.

Gerrard never performs for England, but is that his fault or does it just show the inadequacies of the England team as a whole? No idea why they're trying out a 4-5-1, particularly with Capello in charge you'd have thought they would opt for a 4-4-2. Problem for England is they need 2 decent strikers that compliment each other, and since one of them is almost always going to be Rooney it's hard finding a strike partner to bring the best out of him.

Still agree with above, crazy not to give Young and Agbonglahor a run out.

here is the england team ok:

james
johnson
campbell
someone
someone
someone
someone
sean davis
someone
defoe
someone

SUCCESS

this thread is superb


I don't think that waiting for service is a bad thing, some players are literally just strikers and nothing more.

But at least the likes of Del Piero et al put away their chances on a regular basis, apart from every now and then.

i do, just because they get plaudits and attention for the goal statistics they generate although on the balance of play they don't put that much work in, that's their style and game fair do but i think it's a little shit.


So.. Which managers will still be here next season? With a few unbacked decisions on my point of view, Benitez? Avram Grant? Well, I hope Avram Grant isn't here next season anyway, He just isn't Chelsea, and after reading John Terry's book again, I realise how un-chelsea he really is compared to Mourinho..

DISCUSS

benitez has too much support in the squad and with the fans. mind you, the hegemony at chelsea ignored that with mourinho... grant will still be around though, chum, probably business partner and supporter of roman, no chance he'll see the door imo


Owen learnt all he can from the Lineker school of hiding in the box, tis a bit harsh on Piero if you liken him to that goal poaching fiend as his game has always been a lot more than simply goal hanging and the occasional neat finish.

Also can't see the resemblance between him and Ibrahimovic since almost all his efforts are sparked by his own moment of skill rather than relying on pace to beat his man.

i stuck del piero in there unfairly, but he is a cunt (on the basis of a few recent serie a matches i saw where his playacting and petulance just stood out for me, it was shocking) and got involved a lot more in the general build up before his injury in 97 or 98 or whenever it was. he was class in the world cup semi though

inter v liverpool in the recent CL matches - case in point. completely absent from play. he has a lot more flair and skill then an owen, but he fills essentially a similar if not the same role. in fact, based on what i've seen of the two players, i'd say owen gets involved in the general build up and team play MORE


Rhyfelwyr: Shw' mae!

Also, I pretty much agree with what Meph said about Owen. He's there to score goals and does that job, even if he doesn't contribute much of anything else to the team. Often the best players in football are as such because they know when to stand still. Sounds stupid, but there's a lot to be said of a team that broadly holds its shape as opposed to a team of Rooneys and Savages who run around like headless chickens. Having one Savage or Rooney can be beneficial, but you do need Makeleles, Vieiras and Owens too.

I think Benitez and Grant may go if both fail to win either the league or the European Cup. Also, Megson if Bolton go down, and possibly Hodgson if Fulham do really badly in the last few months of the year. Mohamed al Fayed is not exactly known for his patience, having fired Coleman after two years despite doing a pretty good job.

makelele is an example of a player who stays in one position consistently and does a great job in that position. i feel that if you are going to restrict yourself to one position, you have to excel in it to warrant your place in the side, at the very least. however, i personally feel the best players are those that can get involved in every situation, and strive to, without disrupting the team system. sounds a little total football and demanding but that's my idea of the best

i hope fulham bottom out, the cunts


Klinsmann is taking over at Bayern is he not? I certainly recall a news article on the BBC site saying he had signed some sort of contract with them. If he's manager there, I doubt he'd want to move to Liverpool. It'd be a step sideways, at best.

As for Rjkaard, it's been speculated for years that Chelsea are after him but nothing has ever happened, and I doubt that will change in the near future.

yeah klinsmann is off to bayern. i'm surprised yids never showed an interest, although ramos has done a good job for them so far. over a 100 goals at shite hart lane this season, impressive.

after the CL ties between mourinho's chelsea and rijkaard's barca, i doubt rijkaard will ever set foot in stamford bridge again excepting matches in charge of other clubs. if he does then that says a lot about the merc he would be, but he'd be in good company; arnesen, ten cate, kenyon, most of the playing squad


So, the internationals were tonight. I just watched Wales beat Luxembourg 2-0 in quite possibly the most boring football match ever.

Good result for Northern Ireland winning 4-1 and Scotland at least did better than England against Croatia.

And of course, this amazing English side never fails to stun me with their footballing brilliance. :laugh:

So, thoughts?

i rarely agree with wenger, but he thinks international friendlies should be binned (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=520388&cc=5739) and i totally agree, what a pointless exercise. replace them with training camps. competitive matches ftw.

come on, who thought 'becks' would give us all a stormer, score a hattrick and run rings? how dire of him. statistics only tell half the story. the only good thing mclaren did for the england team was to drop beckham. shame he couldnt expand on that, and ended up going back on it when the status quo won out, spineless cunt. and i honestly think that the only way england can build a great team is if capello drops all the big names - and i mean literally ALL of them - to knock them off their pedestals and give some non complacent, inspired youngsters the chance to represent the country. pearcey is building something great with the under 21s though, and i hope those players make the step up together, and don't get delusions of grandeur and led astray by their older more established clubmates and the industry. stick agbonlahor and young and walcott in with them for the time being.


here is the england team ok:

pompey

SUCCESS

they'd do a lot better then the current lot, as a more cohesive, flair and inspired side. shame less then half of them are english

i stuck del piero in there unfairly, but he is a cunt (on the basis of a few recent serie a matches i saw where his playacting and petulance just stood out for me, it was shocking)

Italian footballer in playacting SHOCKER

Pretty much agree with the need to knock a few of the senior squad off their pedestals, since they quite clearly don't seem to turn up for international duty. I reckon if they think they have to work to get in the team rather than rely on their domestic form you might see a more cohesive team performance from them. Young, Agbonglahor, Defoe, Walcott, Lennon - they all stand a chance when on form, it's just whether the manager takes a chance on any of them.

here is the england team ok:

james
johnson
campbell
someone
someone
someone
someone
sean davis
someone
defoe
someone

SUCCESS

Hahaha.

Also, Hansen pretty much summed it up.

Capello's going to try and build an England team that can match the worlds best for passing and movement under pressure. Only problem is that isn't the natural English game and he's got nothing to work with.

The only solution I can think is to get young English lads (around 14-16) abroad, playing in the YTS academies in Spain, France and Italy, and get them to actually learn the art of passing and movement off the ball. Or at the very least get Burton up and running and bring in some World Class overseas coaching staff.

Either way, you can forget about England winning anything for pretty much another decade. Which is cool I suppose. No-one here really thinks we're that good anyway, except dumb cockneys (Fakkin 'ell Frank, we're a bit mustard. Why can we mug the fakkin Georgians at home jellied eels jellied eels) and the media.

Know anybody of you FC Schalke 04??

(Schalke Ist Der Geilste Club Der Welt! *singZ*

here is the england team ok:

james
johnson
campbell
someone
someone
someone
someone
sean davis
someone
defoe
someone

SUCCESS

You forgot Harry Redknapp as manager. :-\

'arry can't sign 35-year-old free transfers as england manager

his powers, they are gone

i rarely agree with wenger, but he thinks international friendlies should be binned (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=520388&cc=5739) and i totally agree, what a pointless exercise. replace them with training camps. competitive matches ftw.

I like them personally. There are many arguments in favour and generally only two against, and one involves club interests which I don't think should come into the equasion.

In defence of friendlies:

-You get to see teams you normally wouldn't see that often, and get to try out new systems and players.

-Managers get time with players to implement specific gameplans which simply wouldn't be the same in a training scenario.

-Players who aren't playing at their clubs will often get a chance to impress and put themselves in the 'shop window', eg Eastwood for us the other day.

-Fans will (usually) get the chance to see their countries play a team of similar stature - this often makes them more meaningful to smaller nations than competitive games against the big guns which occur in competitive qualifying campaigns, though the latter are still needed by smaller nations for financial reasons.

-For countries who don't qualify regularly for tournaments, they give fans an opportuinty to see their team without having to wait a year or so in between campaigns.

There are probably other arguments I could come up with in favour of retaining international friendlies, but I can't think of any more right now, off the top of my head. Still, I think those arguments alone are enough to justify them.

'arry can't sign 35-year-old free transfers as england manager

his powers, they are gone

Well, I actually think Redknapp's greatest strength is motivation and man-management, which suit him pretty well to international management. All the players he's signed for Portsmouth have had either mediocre or once-great, now-dwindling reputations, like Campbell for example, yet he gets the best out of them.

He made the best signing of the season imo in Jermaine Defoe. Harry is pure genius.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/7318218.stm


hahahahahaha

are you serious?

also lol @ Keanes rant today.

here is the england team ok:

james
johnson
campbell
someone
someone
someone
someone
sean davis
someone
defoe
nugent

SUCCESS

Fixed. :)

Isn't Nugent going out on loan or something?

I'm surprised he's failed in the Premiership.

apparently he was injured at the start of the season. i'd like him to be given another chance but this looks unlikely

to be honest these days i forget he even plays for us

As to be expected i think this weekend, as far as the top 4 were involved anyway. I was at Old Trafford yesterday, and i have not seen Rooney so charged up in a while. He was well deserving of his hatrick. Ronaldo's goal was great.

Arsenal were so lucky its unreal. Why does that kind of thing happen..

arsenal are going to win. united will topple like the weak sissies they are beneath our mighty metaphorical footballing foot.

Ronaldo is the best player in the premiership by far, i would still like to see Arsenal win it though. What do you make of the 4-1 drubbing Newcastle gave Spurs.

Arsenal aren't going to win the league, Chelsea aren't going to win the league, Man Utd are and always were going to. Even when Arsenal went 5 clear I said they would come second at best, third probably. The simple fact is Arsenal lack the depth to compete with Chelsea and Man Utd in the closing stages of the season and the current Man Utd team is one of the finest ever assembled.

manchester united are fantastic, but arsenal will be fantastic as well. as for chelsea, they'll always be able to buy the best. just watch out for QPR in seasons to come

stadium:mk

Italian footballer in playacting SHOCKER

Pretty much agree with the need to knock a few of the senior squad off their pedestals, since they quite clearly don't seem to turn up for international duty. I reckon if they think they have to work to get in the team rather than rely on their domestic form you might see a more cohesive team performance from them. Young, Agbonglahor, Defoe, Walcott, Lennon - they all stand a chance when on form, it's just whether the manager takes a chance on any of them.

everyone knows how incredibly shocking and blatant the level and frequency of italian play acting is, which shows you how outrageous del piero's was. tumbling over after brushing past an opponent, banshee screaming at the referee and hopping up like a spring on speed to take the free kick that led to the winner against i forget who.

today a juventus supporter team bus 'accidentally' hit a parma fan, killing him, after the 2 sets of supporters met at a service station before their match and traded insults, on the day of the second leg of the same round of fixtures during which a lazio fan was shot by a copper that led to fan riots all over italy and sweeping stadium bands and postponements. great supporters they have there.

on the plus side, i watched udinese beat fiorentina 3 1 today, old boy vieri scored for fiorentina, but i saw barely any play acting or diving, great passing, end to end flowing attacking football, 4 pretty sweet goals and a relatively full stadium for a serie a game. these two teams are dueling for 4th place because the mighty milan can't win at home this season inexplicably, losing again today this time to atalanta LOL, and on the strenth of their performances belong in the top tier of european football, more then say the horribly dire inter. i hope roma, who actually play great football, depose them.

as for the england team, it will be a test of capello's strength of character to see if he can do as we're saying. all the fans can see it, so the management need to give it a go.


Know anybody of you FC Schalke 04??

(Schalke Ist Der Geilste Club Der Welt! *singZ*

i prefer werder myself, they play better football. the bundersliga is generally pretty great though, schalke are decent. hajto and waldoch ftw


I like them personally. There are many arguments in favour and generally only two against, and one involves club interests which I don't think should come into the equasion.

In defence of friendlies:

-You get to see teams you normally wouldn't see that often, and get to try out new systems and players.

-Managers get time with players to implement specific gameplans which simply wouldn't be the same in a training scenario.

-Players who aren't playing at their clubs will often get a chance to impress and put themselves in the 'shop window', eg Eastwood for us the other day.

-Fans will (usually) get the chance to see their countries play a team of similar stature - this often makes them more meaningful to smaller nations than competitive games against the big guns which occur in competitive qualifying campaigns, though the latter are still needed by smaller nations for financial reasons.

-For countries who don't qualify regularly for tournaments, they give fans an opportuinty to see their team without having to wait a year or so in between campaigns.

There are probably other arguments I could come up with in favour of retaining international friendlies, but I can't think of any more right now, off the top of my head. Still, I think those arguments alone are enough to justify them.

all those arguments are valid, besides the one about friendlies being more meaningful to smaller nations then qualifying games, that makes no sense. and perhaps friendlies remain a great spectacle and a valuable training and experience forum, but the fact that stadiums and FAs milk them with ticket prices and hype disproportionately makes them a problem. qualifiers and actual tournament games will always have more value, friendlies are ultimately meaningless, so to have even comparable ticket prices and hype? laughable.


He made the best signing of the season imo in Jermaine Defoe. Harry is pure genius.

yes, defoe was criminally underused at the yidos, and with harry's eye for such players and his rep appealing to them, he is repaying them in kind for their faith in signing him. should get a look in to the england squad.


are you serious?

also lol @ Keanes rant today.

although he's a hypocrite, keano's got a point


As to be expected i think this weekend, as far as the top 4 were involved anyway. I was at Old Trafford yesterday, and i have not seen Rooney so charged up in a while. He was well deserving of his hatrick. Ronaldo's goal was great.

Arsenal were so lucky its unreal. Why does that kind of thing happen..

wenger hears no evil and sees no evil. diaby's foot was a little high? not RIDICULOUS, HE SHOULD NEVER PLAY FOOTBALL AGAIN OUI OUI?? fucking arse-anal-tinted-goggled cunt. if i were to ever have the displeasure of meeting him, i'd spit in his face and then act totally shocked and surprised and innocent when he would very animated and indignant remonstrate like a little spoilt prick. 'spit in your face? i did nothing of the sort. i don't know what you're talking about, arsene'. arsenal play great football but the hypocritical, animated, siege mentality petulance they revel in like spoilt brats really irritates me. professional wankers. anyway, i've always thought arsene wenger sounds a lot like arsenal wanker, perfect 'man' for the job.

edit - god, that was a bitter rant.

Know anybody of you FC Schalke 04??

(Schalke Ist Der Geilste Club Der Welt! *singZ*

They were my go to German team on one of the old championship managers, back when they had Mpenza and Ebbe Sand up front iirc. World class strike force in game, only seen them a few times on tv but they seemed pretty decent. Mpenza's at Man city now but can't say I've seen him do much apart from a nice headed goal, forget the opposition though.


everyone knows how incredibly shocking and blatant the level and frequency of italian play acting is, which shows you how outrageous del piero's was. tumbling over after brushing past an opponent, banshee screaming at the referee and hopping up like a spring on speed to take the free kick that led to the winner against i forget who.

Yep, I doubt even the staunchest of Italian supporters could deny the level of diving that takes place, it's just a pity it has crept into the premiership a la the latest episode - Yakubu on the weekend. Could probably name a dozen more if I wasn't under the influence, but it's still pretty annoying seeing it happen more and more. As for banshee screaming at the referee he probably learnt all he could from John 'The Captain of England' Terry - he seems quite adept at it. Good to see Fiorentina winning I still got an old shirt with Batistuta on so it's nice to see another old boy Vieri getting in on the goals.



all those arguments are valid, besides the one about friendlies being more meaningful to smaller nations then qualifying games, that makes no sense. and perhaps friendlies remain a great spectacle and a valuable training and experience forum, but the fact that stadiums and FAs milk them with ticket prices and hype disproportionately makes them a problem. qualifiers and actual tournament games will always have more value, friendlies are ultimately meaningless, so to have even comparable ticket prices and hype? laughable.


There's no denying qualifiers and such will always be more interesting and important, but right before we beat Italy in euro 2004 2-1, we had played one of these 'meaningless' friendlies against Germany and managed to beat them 1-0. Now Wales don't often win against big teams so perhaps the confidence from beating Germany meant for our next home game we stood more of a chance. Still, it's probably incomparable to the situation for the England national team, but for Wales a good result is a good result eb it friendly or not.

i am suddenly not terrified at the thought of next season.

double post, but an interesting topic on Football365:

Which is the best side to play in the Premier League?
Cantona-era ManYoo
The treble winners
Arsenal's Invincibles
Jose's Chelski
This current ManYoo side

Discuss:

all those arguments are valid, besides the one about friendlies being more meaningful to smaller nations then qualifying games, that makes no sense. and perhaps friendlies remain a great spectacle and a valuable training and experience forum, but the fact that stadiums and FAs milk them with ticket prices and hype disproportionately makes them a problem. qualifiers and actual tournament games will always have more value, friendlies are ultimately meaningless, so to have even comparable ticket prices and hype? laughable.

OK, let's try again. What game will San Marino learn more from? Getting humped 9-0 by Italy or drawing 1-1 with Liechtenstein?

As for ticket prices, they vary with the FA, tbh. I remember Wales friendlies being �7 for an adult ticket a few years ago which is terrific value, esp. when you consider how overpriced the Premiership is.

Also:


stadium:mk

Yay for MK Dons. Screw what others think, they deserve that trophy if only for all the shtick they get from fans of other clubs. I mean God forbid they might stop a football club from folding, what terrible savagery of the beautiful game etc.


double post, but an interesting topic on Football365:

Which is the best side to play in the Premier League?
Cantona-era ManYoo
The treble winners
Arsenal's Invincibles
Jose's Chelski
This current ManYoo side

Discuss:

I'd say the current Man Utd side, if only because of Ronaldo, with their treble side from back in the day a close second.

its a tricky one, as 'best' is tough to define.

if they mean, who plays the best football its Arsenal.

the most sucessful is obviously the treble winning side.

It's all personal opinion anyway. None of these sides will ever play each other.

Personally I think Ronaldo, playing as he is now, would be pretty unstoppable by any team from any era. I think playing standards have improved over the years even though entertainment has probably gone down.

By the way, which team would you go for?

double post, but an interesting topic on Football365:

Which is the best side to play in the Premier League?
Cantona-era ManYoo
The treble winners
Arsenal's Invincibles
Jose's Chelski
This current ManYoo side

Discuss:

I have been talking about this for ages with my mates at work and stuff. Im too tired to do a lengthy post tonight. Il do it tomorrow. But jrft I think our current team is the best its been. Again, il go into more detail tomorrow.


Also, nice win for us tonight.