2008-09 Football Thread

[Markleshark]

If you really look at it, what players really mean it with the badge kissing? With very, very few exceptions they are all complete mercenaries these days. Just about any player would leave his club for the right price. Giggs, Scholes and Neville are rare examples of truly loyal top players (though they are all old farts now). Who else out there can kiss their badge without irony?

Whilst I see your point, thats hardly a fair thing to say about a 23-year old. He could be at Manchester United until he is the same age as Giggs, you just don't know. It's when people join the club and do it 10 minutes later. Robinho for example (didn't kiss it) but he pointed and gave it [his Manchester City badge] a loving stare 23 minutes after getting £92,000 a week from them. THAT, is the problem.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I think it's the context, really. If a player scores a goal and – caught up in the moment – kisses his badge as part of his celebration that's one thing, but if it's just being done to simply antagonise the opposition support (as seemed to be Rooney's intention) that's another. And of course, it's not something you can get away with doing if you've only joined the club five minutes earlier.

It's when people join the club and do it 10 minutes later. Robinho for example (didn't kiss it) but he pointed and gave it [his Manchester City badge] a loving stare 23 minutes after getting £92,000 a week from them. THAT, is the problem.

My personal favourite was Alexander Hleb, who was pictured kissing the badge on his new Barcelona shirt at press conferences before he'd even played a game for them.

 

[és:]

I'm quite enjoying seeing Liverpool rise up.. safe in the knowledge they'll **** it up.

I'm quite enjoying being 4 points above Arsenal who are yet to play anyone decent, whilst we've beaten Chelsea and Everton away and United at home. Arsenal losing to Hull and Fulham was enough to keep me happy for a while, but being at the top of the table, too... Good times.

I'll say what I always say at this point in the season... United will win the league. Again.

 

[woolyback]

My personal favourite was Alexander Hleb, who was pictured kissing the badge on his new Barcelona shirt at press conferences before he'd even played a game for them.

My favourite was Roy Keane kissing the badge on his Forrest shirt after scoring at the end of the season, just before transferring to United.

Maybe he was kissing it goodbye....?

 

[stevepeck]

Loving it But

Just loving what Hull City are doing at the moment, but if they keep up the success will Phil Brown still be with them at the end of the season, after all he must be getting a lot of attention from Big European clubs.

What Phill brown as achieved with Hull City is Brilliant, and sure he his wiping the smurks off a lot of the other managers and Pundits faces.

No true fan expect City to finish in the top 5, but just to stay up and build themselves even better for next season.

 

[Markleshark]

Hull City need to look at Reading and if they stay up need to make sure they don't suffer from Second Season Syndrome™. They'll be fine though.

 

[és:]

after all he must be getting a lot of attention from Big European clubs.

Why do you think that?

 

[XIII]

I'm quite enjoying being 4 points above Arsenal who are yet to play anyone decent, whilst we've beaten Chelsea and Everton away and United at home. Arsenal losing to Hull and Fulham was enough to keep me happy for a while, but being at the top of the table, too... Good times.

I'm more worried about our ability to beat the Hull and Fulham than our ability to beat the top teams. We generally do better in big games, where all the players are totally up for it. I'd imagine if you look at games between the big four in the past couple of seasons, we'd be pretty near the top in total points taken.

I don't think we're really anywhere near having the squad to win the league. It won't work when players keep leaving and new young players have to develop to fill their spaces rather than occasionally a more established, experienced player coming in. Fabregas has not hit the peaks this season he hit with Flamini doing a lot of defensive work behind him, and he needs someone like that - someone better than Denilson - although I was impressed with Alex Song's performance on Sunday in that position. This is the problem - every time we get a good team together, like last season (it was a good team - it is very very arguable we should have won the league but for a run of careless draws at home), key players leave - Flamini (not counting Hleb as I feel he has been adequately replaced by Nasri), Gilberto (for midfield cover and experience), and the holes we had are not improved on (ie. central defence).

Every season we have to start from scratch growing and building up new players, and every summer we have a setback as they leave. While that carries on, we won't win I believe.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

...will Phil Brown still be with them at the end of the season, after all he must be getting a lot of attention from Big European clubs.

Why do you think that?

I'm sure all the Mediterranean-based gaffers are envious of his impressive tan.

He's certainly enjoying his team's good form at the moment – and rightly so – but Brown will have to prove he can be successful in the long term before any bigger clubs start knocking.

But indeed, it is very, very satisfying to be proving the doubters wrong at the moment.

 

[xUKHCx]

I'd imagine if you look at games between the big four in the past couple of seasons, we'd be pretty near the top in total points taken.

Funny you should say that as during the Liverpool Chelsea game at the weekend they showed such a table.

Here is some data I found on the guardain website

2002/03
PREMIER LEAGUE: Man U 83pts, Arsenal 78, Chelsea 67, Liverpool 64
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Man U 14pts, Arsenal 7, Liverpool 5, Chelsea 5

2003/04
PREMIER LEAGUE: Arsenal 90pts, Chelsea 79, Man U 75, Liverpool 60
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Arsenal 14pts, Chelsea 7, Man U 6, Liverpool 6

2004/05
PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea 95pts, Arsenal 83, Man U 77, Liverpool 58
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Chelsea 14pts, Man U 12, Arsenal 5, Liverpool 3

2005/06
PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea 91pts, Man U 83, Liverpool 82, Arsenal 67
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Chelsea 15pts, Man U 11, Liverpool 4, Arsenal 4

2006/07
PREMIER LEAGUE: Man U 89pts, Chelsea 83, Liverpool 68, Arsenal 68
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Arsenal 14pts, Man U 11, Liverpool 6, Chelsea 5

2007/08
PREMIER LEAGUE: Man U 87pts, Chelsea 85, Arsenal 83, Liverpool 76
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Man U 13pts, Chelsea 10, Arsenal 6, Liverpool 4

Which if you total up over the data given gives

Manchester Utd 67
Chelsea 65
Arsenal 50
Liverpool 28

Or for the last 3 years

Chelsea 39
Manchester Utd 35
Arsenal 24
Liverpool 14

So not pretty near the top.

You can see when Abromovich's money came in

Every season we have to start from scratch growing and building up new players, and every summer we have a setback as they leave. While that carries on, we won't win I believe.

That is quite an apt definition of Wenger's martyrdom I was trying to convey previously.

You seem quite down on Arsenal at the moment, have you really given hope up for this season already. Surely that is the relm of TV pundits talking about Liverpool

 

[XIII]

So not pretty near the top.

Well if you take the past 2 seasons - that is about the length of time we have all had the squads we have now, give or take a few players..

2006/07
PREMIER LEAGUE: Man U 89pts, Chelsea 83, Liverpool 68, Arsenal 68
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Arsenal 14pts, Man U 11, Liverpool 6, Chelsea 5

2007/08
PREMIER LEAGUE: Man U 87pts, Chelsea 85, Arsenal 83, Liverpool 76
BIG FOUR LEAGUE: Man U 13pts, Chelsea 10, Arsenal 6, Liverpool 4

Man U: 24 points
Arsenal: 20 points
Chelsea: 15 points
Liverpool: 10 points

Which I would say is pretty near the top, especially when we have finished 4th and 3rd in each season - not second.

You seem quite down on Arsenal at the moment, have you really given hope up for this season already. Surely that is the relm of TV pundits talking about Liverpool

Don't get me wrong, I love Arsenal and love watching them. I'm not that down. Sunday was a brilliant day out, I'm up in London again tomorrow for Spurs, the weekend after for United, and I'm going away to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea. I'm into Arsenal and as into football as ever.

I just feel I'm being realistic.. we haven't had the greatest start to the season given our run of games. Really, we should have taken pretty much full points from them. I haven't totally given up hope - it's just not that likely.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Portsmouth confirm Tony Adams as their new manager – the press conference is on at the moment. He's got an oversized tie on and everything, so clearly he means business.

 

[XIII]

Portsmouth confirm Tony Adams as their new manager – the press conference is on at the moment. He's got an oversized tie on and everything, so clearly he means business.

Good luck to Tone.

 

[B&Wtoon]

I think that’s a big risk for Portsmouth, is it because there is no more money left? Last time Harry left they imploded.

Adams was terrible at Wycombe. It might have been a few years ago, but I’m not convinced that he's ready for the step up.

still could of been worse according to the Sun (cringe):
“Sam Allardyce was the favourite to take the helm on the South Coast, but the club ruled out the former Bolton Wanderers manager after hearing his wage demands and the number of staff he planned to bring with him.”

Redknapp has left them a good team and squad, and has taken the club to a new level, so why all the abuse from the fans? – madness.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

still could of been worse according to the Sun (cringe)...

And there could have been worse appointments than Allardyce, who has been successful in all his previous managerial jobs – save for Newcastle, where he arguably wasn't given long enough to prove his worth and ultimately had a better record than the man brought in to replace him (a man who is still regarded as a hero by many on Tyneside, despite walking out on the job again).

Adams meanwhile has been at Portsmouth as assistant-manager for over two years now – ample time for the Fratton Park top brass to assess whether or not he's capable of managing the club. Clearly they feel confident in their man, and I hope he does well.

 

[Much Ado]

Redknapp has left them a good team and squad, and has taken the club to a new level, so why all the abuse from the fans? – madness.

Because he left the night before a match without telling anyone- not even the players. Some of the squad turned up at Fratton Park for the game against Fulham not even knowing he had gone.

Also, he is a good manager but Pompey fans already know that he is not necessarily a decent person. His claim that Pompey sold him, for example, is totally disingenous and a complete nonsense, and his self-promoting style had already been wearing thin with Porsmouth fans for some time. The put-downs, inneundo and in many cases bare-faced lies have been there to see since the Southampton episode and beyond. He treats the fans as idiots.

Not to mention all of this the day before receiving the freedom of the city.

No, I understand the booing.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Whilst I see your point, thats hardly a fair thing to say about a 23-year old. He could be at Manchester United until he is the same age as Giggs, you just don't know. It's when people join the club and do it 10 minutes later. Robinho for example (didn't kiss it) but he pointed and gave it [his Manchester City badge] a loving stare 23 minutes after getting £92,000 a week from them. THAT, is the problem.

I see where you're coming from. If Rooney turns into another Giggs in terms of loyalty and longevity, well and good. He will have earned a lot of respect as Giggs has - who, by the way, has no need to kiss a badge to prove his loyalty.

But if it's done it to antagonize, as mentioned by Jaffa, that's classless. Rooney's biggest flaw as a player is his hot-headedness.

Hey Jaffa - What's this I hear about Deano going *gasp* Leeds?

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Deano 'writes' a blog for ITV Sport, and has apparently indicated that he would be open to any reasonable offers if Phil Brown decides that he doesn't feature in his plans. He goes on to mention that he met Leeds boss Gary McAllistair at a recent friendly he took part in, and had a long chat with the balding boss.

Obviously the thought of Deano in a White Sh*te shirt is enough to turn the stomach of any right thinking person, but I suppose he has done one thing in his long career that no Leeds United player can claim - namely score the winning goal in a play-off final.

I'll see if I can fish out a link to the blog in question a little later - I'm on my iPhone at the moment which isn't best suited for that cutting-and-pasting URL malarky.

EDIT: Here you go, your Lordship – he mentions the Leeds thing about halfway in.

 

[R.Youden]

Hull 0 - 1 Chelsea after 5 minutes, crap

 

[BoyBach]

2015: GOAL Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham
We've just seen the goal of the season. The ball is bouncing all over the place just inside the Arsenal half and David Bentley, a la Matt le Tissier against Blackburn in 1995, knees the ball up and volleys it over Manuel Almunia from fully 40 yards. We might have just seen Bentley's 'Beckham' moment.

I think I'll be watching MOTD tonight.

 

[pachyderm]

Hull 0 - 1 Chelsea after 5 minutes, crap

1 nil means nothing to the AMBER ARMY !!

 

[Markleshark]

1 nil means nothing to the AMBER ARMY !!

Doesn't. They sound very much still in it. No mean feat scoring against Chelski mind, but I think Gio has it in hand.

United 2 up against West Ham. Ronnie's back.

 

[R.Youden]

Well Hull are still very much in it, but Chelsea are very dangerous on the break. Oh the joys of web streaming.

0-2 howler by Boaz

 

[xUKHCx]

Well if you take the past 2 seasons - that is about the length of time we have all had the squads we have now, give or take a few players..

If you look at the data Arsenal have had 2 good seasons out of the last 6, one happend to be last season which makes your 2 year analysis slightly skewed. When it is good it is very good.

25 goals tonight Large amount coming from the thriller Arsenal - Tottenham game, 4-4


Hull City lost but I suppose they were playing at home. When they go to Stanford Bridge then the tables will be turned.


I was getting a bit worried with the Liverpool game but thankfully we managed to pip Pompey in the end. Tough start for Tony Adams but I wish him the best of luck (can now say that as before tonights game I was wishing him the worst of luck for his debut).

From BBC live text

2208: "It's not even funny. I'm sickened. And if I had my own way Eboue would never play again for Arsenal!"
Neil from Knowle, via text on 81111

I think we all want to see Eboue gone from the premier league let alone Arsenal. Haven't seen the hhighlights yet but I will definitely be watching them now and in the words of BBC themselves

2210: This calls for caps: WATCH MATCH OF THE DAY ON BBC ONE AT 2245 GMT. IT'LL BE AWESOME. Promise.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Well, I'm naturally disappointed but not too downhearted really. It was silly mistakes more than anything (we didn't clear our lines for their first, and Bo made a monumental error for their second). Chalk it up to experience, and move on to the next fixture.

Anyway, watch out Manchester United – we came back with an away win after our only other home defeat of the season...