2008-09 Football Thread - The Second Half

[politickle]

Watching Fernando Torres against Mikael Silvestre might be akin to watching a sporty version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. At least Arsenal only have to deal with Yossi Benayoun instead of Steven Gerrard.

I think Arshavin could cause a bit of trouble to Liverpool, though.

 

[daneoni]

Silvestre is past it, Wenger needs to face that reality and buy a decent CB this summer. A holding midfielder won't be a bad addition either. We have no depth whatsoever and it been showing for the past 2 seasons. Eboue is more of a winger than a RB. I also think Bedtner is subpar...can't score to save his life, i'm surprised Wenger doesn't field Vela a lot more than he does...im surprised by wenger period

Hopefully Fabregas, Arshavin, Nasri & Eduardo can do something tomorrow, unlikely to be enough but one can still hope

Prediction...albeit a pessimistic one: Arsenal finish 4th and no silverware...again

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Silvestre is past it, Wenger needs to face that reality and buy a decent CB this summer.

Arsenal are one of the clubs reckoned to be keeping tabs on Michael Turner. I expect that we'll be receiving offers for him this summer, moreso if we are relegated.

 

[daneoni]

Arsenal are one of the clubs reckoned to be keeping tabs on Michael Turner. I expect that we'll be receiving offers for him this summer, moreso if we are relegated.

Sounds good because we need to update that backline

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Sounds good...

Not so much from our point of view. We loves us some Michael Turner.

 

[gauchogolfer]

Well apparently not. Gibbs is that promising youngster. I'd prefer an unknown 18 year old to Silvestre to be honest.

Sagna is fit which is good. Now in my opinion the best back 4 we can play has to be:

Gibbs - Song - Toure - Sagna

The problem being Song - Fabregas has worked well in the middle, and Denilson - Fabregas doesn't seem to. Only other option then might be:

Gibbs - Sagna - Toure - Eboue

Sadly, Arsenal have just announced that Gibbs is also unavailable this week due to a groin injury. Here's hoping for Sagna's speedy recovery!

Update: OK, now Arsene is saying he's 'concerned' about Gibbs, and hasn't ruled him out yet..

 

[Fuzzy14]

137 Fuzzy14
10 DumbartonPachyderm

Yes well done, you bet the local boy this week (1 measly point).

As for the Premier League 2... news outlets up here not hyping it up this time, most of the stories are regarding the end of year league split where the top teams have to play each other again. I'm pretty sure the league thing won't happen this time (again) but a few interesting developments.

• It's been instigated by an English team
• UEFA said they won't oppose it, indeed they now seem to regard the Scotland/England situation differently than they would Holland/Germany or Spain/Portugal.

The other thing is what happens to SPL2 currently being discussed, and also what happens to the teams in Scotland? I think what will happen is a 2nd tier team still plays in the Scottish league (as Celtic currently propose with a 2nd Celtic team in the lower leagues.) If anything, this would make the Scottish league more competitive.

As for the big teams EPL not liking it... what league is going to reject the sudden injection of two teams with a combined season ticket membership of 120,000? And think of the Irish TV money the EPL would suddenly attract.

However like I say, maybe not this time but there are a few precedents and something will happen eventually.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

As for the big teams EPL not liking it... what league is going to reject the sudden injection of two teams with a combined season ticket membership of 120,000? And think of the Irish TV money the EPL would suddenly attract.

I think their worry would be that the TV money that is now split between 20 clubs would be split between 36, at least until the deals are renegotiated. It also raises the issue of Champions League qualification (and revenue) – at the moment, the big four in England and the Old Firm in Scotland are all but guaranteed Champions League football, but six places aren't going to be available in a revised Premier League. Some of the big boys would have to miss out, and they wouldn't be happy at that.

However, it's all a moot point because apparently the proposal is now off the table. So, it looks like we won't have to do anything extreme like forming our own MacRumors AFC Wimbledon/FC United-esque club in protest. A pity, because the shirt we'd have to wear to keep everyone happy – blue, red and amber stripes with white sleeves – would have looked gorgeous.

[*]It's been instigated by an English team

Indeed – by Bolton Chairman Phil Gartside, no less. I wonder if he'd still be as keen on this idea if if Bolton were still languishing in the lower leagues, playing in a decrepit Burnden Park?

 

[Fuzzy14]

The thing that made me laugh was that this used to be the English Premier League thread, but you kept posting before Hull joined, and I kept posting before the Old Firm joined.... it was looking good for Markleshark!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

So, what do we all think - an exciting evolution of our domestic leagues, or the latest cynical attempt to keep the cash at the top level while pulling up the ladder to Football League clubs? Personally, I'm with the latter opinion.

I like the idea of a salary cap, but it won't work unless it's Europe-wide. I don't like the fact that this proposal would really lock in teams at the top, and the rest of the football league would drift farther away from the spotlight and revenue.

Watching Fernando Torres against Mikael Silvestre might be akin to watching a sporty version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. At least Arsenal only have to deal with Yossi Benayoun instead of Steven Gerrard.

I think Arshavin could cause a bit of trouble to Liverpool, though.

Liverpool will have a better defense to work with, so Arsenal will want to play aggressive and try to get an early score. I expect Arshavin to be a big threat.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I don't recall Brown's injury status or when he's due back -- would be helpful to have that back line all together again.

Apparently, he played an hour for the reserves yesterday - so a return to the first team might not be that far off...

 

[Silencio]

Apparently, he played an hour for the reserves yesterday - so a return to the first team might not be that far off...

Yeah, I did read that he returned to training last week. Wonder how quickly he can get fit enough to make a contribution. Would be very helpful to have the entire back line together again and defending the way they were just a few months ago.

 

[pivo6]

Who says Arsenal need defenders. All the need is for Arshavin to score 4 every game. Of course as I am typing, Benayoun just tied it up.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Wasn't a bad match, that.

Hopefully Liverpool have tired themselves out a bit for the weekend...

 

[daneoni]

Safe to say we could've have won. Sheesh...some defense. What about Arshavin...come on!!!

 

[BoyBach]

Erm, is there any way of allowing Liverpool to only play on Tuesday nights!?

Arsenal couldn't defend for toffee, luckily neither could Liverpool which made for a thoroughly entertaining match.

 

[XIII]

Shocking defending.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

So, that's eight goals Liverpool have conceded in their last two games. With the Scouser's apparent defensive shakiness, I can't see how we'll fail to score against them on Saturday.

Ah, yes – I remember now. We can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

 

[daneoni]

...Ah, yes – I remember now. We can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo.

That literally made me LOL

 

[Lord Blackadder]

That was not supposed to happen. Arsenal proved a bit shaky at the back, which wasn't a huge shock given the absences, but Liverpool's back four have some questions to answer themselves. I have to think that whatever glimmer of hope we had for the title must now be snuffed out, unless Man Utd. choke spectacularly.

 

[XIII]

This was my favourite Arshavin goal, after we looked a bit dead having lost the lead and gone 2-1 down..

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Have I read right that's six goals and five assists in eight league games? Not a bad return for the diminutive Russian, that.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

The word is that Roy Keane will be appointed the new boss of Ipswich Town tomorrow, after they parted company with Jim Magilton earlier today...

 

[Silencio]

It's not easy being a defender on a top Premiership team these days: both Gary Neville and John O'Shea went down to injury in Man Utd's win against Portsmouth yesterday and will miss a couple of weeks apiece.

Champions League and Premier League titles look like they're both becoming battles of attrition at this point. Not the way I'd prefer to see things go down, but injuries are a part of the sport...

 

[iBecks]

The word is that Roy Keane will be appointed the new boss of Ipswich Town tomorrow, after they parted company with Jim Magilton earlier today...

Spot on with your rumour

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