2008-09 Football Thread - The Second Half

[Jaffa Cake]

Jaffa, I should have realised earlier that you were on my manor, so to speak, and arranged some Londoney twiggy pintage before your trip home...

You know, this didn't even occur to me until we were in the ground! We travelled down on an official coach which leaves immediately after the game too, so there was no chance for post-match supping either. Fret not, we can sort something out for our League fixture at Chelsea next season...

~Chelsea woes~

It was a completely different Chelsea side to he one we faced earlier in the season. That evening, they played magnificently and dispatched us with ease, it was almost effortless at times. But today they looked disjointed and disorganised and – although they played some fine football – I kind of got the feeling that some of the players thought that they just had to turn up, run about a bit and it was job done.

They looked surprisingly listless at times, and the crowd soon grew frustrated which seemed to carry onto the players. There was a lot of booing at full time – and apparently a large 'Scolari out' banner which I must confess I didn't spot myself – which isn't going to help already fragile confidence on the pitch. There was also audible disapproval when Quaresma was substituted. Not happy times at the Bridge.

By the way, a little fact I wasn't aware of – City were actually Chelsea's opposition in the first ever competitive match played at Stamford Bridge, way back in 1905. We lost 5-1 on that occasion, so today's result is irrefutable proof that we've improved a bit over the last 104 years.

I don't know what the **** is going down at County, but from the revelations in the chairman's latest interview we're so deep in the **** there's a real possibility we may not last the season

Financial problems, I take it? Bloody hell.

 

[és:]

So, the Nowf Landan Darbee is about to start. Come on Spurs.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

By the way, I don't know if any of you good people have seen this but the Guardian has quite a good feature on its website. Basically, it's a chalkboard which lets you generate diagrams of stuff like how many passes a player completes or tackles they win in a given Premier League game. Rather cool if you're a stat-hungry anorak like most of us football fans are.

Here as an example is a diagram I whipped up showing Hull City captain Ian Ashbee's pass completion rate in yesterday's match against Chelsea – the successful passes are in blue, the unsuccessful ones in red...



I can forsee myself having some fun with this.

 

[pachyderm]

fun, but no Wednesday ...

 

[Queso]

Financial problems, I take it? Bloody hell.

Worse. According to a statement yesterday by the Club Chairman our as of this week ex-MD appeared to have been ignoring a building debt issue. Co-incidentally this now ex-MD is behind a consortium promising to inject the necessary cash to clean up the resulting mess, but only if the Trust sells them the Club. Read into that what you will.

As one of the 700 Trust members I now have a choice. Vote to sell the Club into the hands of someone who simply cannot IMO be trusted or risk it not being here at all this time next year.

There is a lot of extremely angry people right now, myself included

 

[Jaffa Cake]

That is an absolute disgrace. You would think the football authorities would have rules and systems in place to prevent this sort of thing, but obviously not. So long as the big boys are okay and rolling in cash, so many of the 'smaller' clubs are being allowed to die a slow death. The fact that this comes in the same week as the Premier League announced another huge TV rights deal only emphasises this.

As I've mentioned before, we've suffered heavily in the past from dodgy chairmen and boards and we've had to watch as they've sold anything that wasn't nailed down (and a couple of things that actually where), so I can understand the decision you and your fellow Trust members face and I certainly don't envy you. I wish you luck.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Re: Bosingwa's kick on Benayoun last week. From what I've heard he will not be disciplined by the FA because both the ref and linesman claim they saw the offence. Apparently, the FA can only retrospectively punish a player for fouls not seen by the officials. Even though it went unpunished. I hope I'm hearing this wrong, otherwise it's a fantastically stupid rule.

By the way, I don't know if any of you good people have seen this but the Guardian has quite a good feature on its website. Basically, it's a chalkboard which lets you generate diagrams of stuff like how many passes a player completes or tackles they win in a given Premier League game. Rather cool if you're a stat-hungry anorak like most of us football fans are.

I have seen that, and it a really cool feature. By the way, Jaffa, I was just listening to a World Soccer Daily podcast from earlier this week and they interviewed Ian Ashbee. It was quite entertaining - at one point they asked him if scoring a goal was better than sex. He responded that, seeing as he doesn't score [goals] very often the answer would be no, otherwise he'd be a "very frustrated man".

Kudos to him for rising through four divisions of play to be in the prem.

 

[woolyback]

Both my parents are from there.

Don't hold it against them though - it's not that bad a place

 

[xUKHCx]

Re: Bosingwa's kick on Benayoun last week. From what I've heard he will not be disciplined by the FA because both the ref and linesman claim they saw the offence. Apparently, the FA can only retrospectively punish a player for fouls not seen by the officials. Even though it went unpunished. I hope I'm hearing this wrong, otherwise it's a fantastically stupid rule.

That is correct.

The FA can act if the ref has made a mistake and punished someone but can not act if the ref has made a mistake by not punishing someone

As you put it fantastically stupid.

Tony Adams sacked




Personally I would've given him at least one more game as he was begining to turn the corner.


I heart chalkboard.

 

[Peterkro]

Big Phil on his bike as well,which raises the question of who do you get as a replacement.

 

[swiftaw]

As we are drawing close to the end of the season, how about a little contest. Predict the top five (in order), thebottom three (any order), and the FA Cup winner.

I'll go first

Top 5
1. Man U
2. Liverpool
3. Chelsea
4. Villa
5. Arsenal

Bottom 3
Middlesboro
West Brom
Portsmouth

FA Cup
Everton

 

[Vip]

Scolari Sacked!

It just gets better and better...

Gooner!

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Heh. Yet another managerial scalp for the mighty Tigers – we made quite a habit of this last season.

 

[xUKHCx]

Big Phil on his bike as well,which raises the question of who do you get as a replacement.

"to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for".

Sounds like they might have given up on the Premiership.

As we are drawing close to the end of the season, how about a little contest. Predict the top five (in order), thebottom three (any order), and the FA Cup winner.

Before the news about Scolari I would have definitly said that Villa would end up above Chelsea, depends who they get in but this could either solidify my thoughts or change them totally.

Top 5
1. Man U
2. Liverpool
3. Villa
4. Chelsea
5. Arsenal
6. Everton

If Everton maintain a little run and with Adebayor now out for a little while I think Arsenal may end up slipping to 6th which would be a total nightmare for them (and probably the end of Wenger). Arshavin is not the type of player they need to sure up their team. Hopefully for them the injured player can get back to playing soon as this will provide a real boost to their team.

The bottom is much harder to predict this year. It could so easily change within a period of 2 or 3 games depending on the results. For example if West Brom fail to win or get any points over the next 2 games they will go down but if they get 2 or 3 points out of the next 2/3 games then I could see them staying up.

Bottom 3
Blackburn
Stoke
West Brom

FA Cup
Aston Villa / Man Utd.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I don't think Scolari was the biggest problem at Chelsea.

1. Man Utd. by a hair
2. Liverpool
3. Villa
4. Arsenal
5. Chelsea, with Everton snapping at their heels.

I think Arsenal will go on a run and leapfrog Chelsea, but Villa will stay in the top four. Chelsea are simply dire, but a new manager might change everything...

Bottom Three: (too close to call by far, so I'm merely guessing)

Portsmouth
West Brom
Middlesbrough

 

[XIII]

Odd how everyone sees Adebayor being out as a big problem. I'm not glad, but I'm not that annoyed. He's been **** recently, and a good number of Arsenal fans are happy that he will have some time off and will hopefully have to fight Eduardo/van Persie/Arshavin/Bendtner/Walcott for a starting place when he comes back. Fabregas being injured is a huge huge blow. Adebayor, on this seasons evidence so far, not so much so.

I hope everyone does predict us as coming outside of the top 4. We are worryingly far off the pace at the moment but I don't doubt that we can pick it up. The big plus from the games recently is the few goals we have conceded. 3 in the last 7 games I think? If we get the scoring going again we will climb back up.

By the way, Premiership winners: United. And not by a hair.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

By the way, Premiership winners: United. And not by a hair.

There was some wishful thinking going on when I wrote that. But Liverpool are still very much in it. As long as we push United all the way, we will at least be forcing them to keep winning games. I just don't want to see them coast to another title.

I think Arsenal look better than Chelsea right now, they aren't playing very well but they don't seem anywhere near as disinterested as Chelsea's squad. but I am a little puzzled as to the acquisition of Arshavin. A good player without doubt, and not horribly expensive by recent standards. But I would think that Arsenal needs a center back more than anything.

 

[XIII]

There was some wishful thinking going on when I wrote that. But Liverpool are still very much in it. As long as we push United all the way, we will at least be forcing them to keep winning games. I just don't want to see them coast to another title.

I think Arsenal look better than Chelsea right now, they aren't playing very well but they don't seem anywhere near as disinterested as Chelsea's squad. but I am a little puzzled as to the acquisition of Arshavin. A good player without doubt, and not horribly expensive by recent standards. But I would think that Arsenal needs a center back more than anything.

Toure is definitely a very good centre back and looks like he's starting to get it together again. Gallas had problems but no one can dispute how good he can be, and yesterday he was brilliant, our best player. Djourou is promising. I can see from Arsene's point of view why he didn't buy. Then again - Toure and Gallas clearly don't get on. Just depends what the most urgent need is. I think it's a defensive midfielder, don't know who though - someone to play alongside Cesc.

Arshavin sort of makes sense. We haven't scored in our last 3 games. We've been pretty tight defensively, which isn't usual for us, but haven't scored - hopefully he will help with that. Given the current transfer market, with anybody going for £15 million (thanks Spurs for that), Arshavin doesn't look like a bad bit of business. Too early to tell though.

 

[swiftaw]

So, I was thinking about the Carling Cup final, and I realized that, as a Wigan fan, I should root for Man Utd to win.

Why? Because the winner of the Carling Cup gets a place in the UEFA Cup next season (or whatever it's called Europa?). If the winner qualifies for the Champions League then the UEFA Cup place goes to the highest finisher in the premier league that isn't already qualified, so in general that would be 6th place.

Likewise, I hope both FA Cup finalists qualify for europe via the league so then the FA Cup place would go to the 7th placed league team, which is currently Wigan.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

So, I was thinking about the Carling Cup final, and I realized that, as a Wigan fan, I should root for Man Utd to win...

Blimey, you must feel absolutely filthy.


Anyway, my predictions for the swiftaw challenge™...

Top five;
1 Manchester United
2 Aston Villa
3 Liverpool
4 Arsenal
5 Chelsea

For me, Manchester United are simply looking too strong at the moment. I'm going to be bold and suggest Villa might be able to nip in there and get the runners-up spot too, I think the problems there are iat Anfield might cost them that position. And speaking of problems, as I mentioned in a previous post Chelsea looked a mere shadow of the team that so effectively dismantled us at the KC earlier this season – the team look dysfunctional and disorganised at times, and there are clear problems in their camp. Maybe the new manager they appoint can help solve these issues, but it may well take time which ultimately might cost the Blues a top four spot.

As for the bottom...

18 Portsmouth
19 Blackburn
20 West Brom

Portsmouth have floundered since Redknapp left, and they have a fight on their hands. Meanwhile, I predicted at the start of the season that Blackburn would find themselves in danger of relegation and I've seen little to really suggest they're going to be comfortably safe come May. And West Brom are poor.

I think Stoke will survive, they aren't the prettiest side but I think they've got enough nous about them to avoid the drop. They might cut it fine, however.

By the way, Jaffa, I was just listening to a World Soccer Daily podcast from earlier this week and they interviewed Ian Ashbee... Kudos to him for rising through four divisions of play to be in the prem.

Sorry your Lordship, in the Scolari excitement I missed this comment earlier. It is indeed a remarkable feat, not just playing for the same club in all four divisions (something only a select few players can boast) but actually doing so as captain, an achievement which may actually be unique. It's all the more impressive when you consider that a serious leg injury kept him out for the best part of a season a few years back, and he was told that he may never actually walk again – let alone play football.

He's a player that divides opinion among City fans, though – people seem to either love him or hate him. Certainly, he's often used as a bit of a scapegoat when performances don't go well. Case in point, against Chelsea he had a great game – breaking up attacks, putting some important blocks in, getting in the opposition's faces... all the stuff he's on the pitch to do. These are international-class players worth tens of millions, don't forget. Then he gets dispossessed by a Chelsea player and the guy behind me launches into a tirade that he should be dropped because he's not good enough for this level. Hmm.

He's no Lampard or Gerrard, but he's aware of his limitations and works hard to overcome them. I'm looking forward to seeing what sort of partnership he can forge in midfield with Bullard – Ashbee can win balls and play the short simple passes (two of his strengths) and let the boy Jimmy do the fancy creative stuff (which really isn't our skipper's forté).

So anyway, as far as I'm concerned Ashbee = legend.

 

[xUKHCx]

Just got these two sent from a mate.






I love how this highlights the stupid way that managers talk about potential signings, especially Fergeson who then complains about the other route.




Jaffa change of strip? Looks a bit too far north?

 

[XIII]

View attachment 157120


I love how this highlights the stupid way that managers talk about potential signings, especially Fergeson who then complains about the other route.
View attachment 157121

Those are very funny. Seen the Harry Rednapp second one before, but the first is very funny too.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Jaffa change of strip? Looks a bit too far north?

Sometimes an avatar wants to change, some times you have to mackem change...

 

[pachyderm]

Sometimes an avatar wants to change, some times you have to mackem change...

Sunderland? Sheffield United? Either way RAUS!!

 

[Fuzzy14]

The white band on red socks is wrong for Sheffield so it must be Sunderland 1997. I'm sure it will all become apparent soon!

Quite liked the 3rd Lanark strip, £35 though... Might just lump for a 1982 Scotland stip instead, my hair is already longer and curlier than usual, if I could grow a 'tache I could be Souness!