Maybe a repeat of last season: crap in the league and take home the local bowling league trophy.
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2008-09 Football Thread
- Thread starter R.Youden
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Maybe a repeat of last season: crap in the league and take home the local bowling league trophy.
I like to see clubs outside the big four make serious runs for the Carling Cup and FA Cup; it breaks up the monotony a bit.
Still, I expected more from Liverpool. Benitez seems to have finally discovered the notion of going after the League title and the Champions League at the same time, but the lesser silverware is still beneath notice apparently.
Better to lose to Spurs than Burnley though.
Better luck next time for Hull - I think Man City is proving to be quite the paper tiger until the club's now bottomless coffers can buy more talent. I really expected them to beat Bolton but you can't take any game for granted in the Premier League, not even against a Derby County (if you're Newcastle).
Still, I expected more from Liverpool. Benitez seems to have finally discovered the notion of going after the League title and the Champions League at the same time, but the lesser silverware is still beneath notice apparently.
Better to lose to Spurs than Burnley though.
Better luck next time for Hull - I think Man City is proving to be quite the paper tiger until the club's now bottomless coffers can buy more talent. I really expected them to beat Bolton but you can't take any game for granted in the Premier League, not even against a Derby County (if you're Newcastle).
What I don't get is how people are always talking about how Arsenal have no depth to the team, yet every year we get to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup with our reserves/scholars...while all of the other big clubs are either playing their 1st team or trying to follow in our footsteps and play there reserves...Liverpool & Chelski both tried to field their youngsters last night and both got knocked out of the cup, neither of them even played good football, the kind of football that is expected of a top 4 PL team (1st team or not)
Hopefully we will draw spurs in the quarter finals, at home aswell preferably, so I can goto another one of the infamous north london derbys
Hopefully we will draw spurs in the quarter finals, at home aswell preferably, so I can goto another one of the infamous north london derbys
well the regular season isn't completely over. i think they have at least begun to turn the corner in the Prem so i expect them to move up the table a good deal more.
i could be very wrong tho..it is spurs football after all...
At the sprightly age of 31 I am perhaps too young to remember Spurs glory days, however every time I read a post about Spurs there is this automatic assumption that they are too big to be relegated and that they somehow have a right to be one of the big teams and return to the glory days. Big teams do go down (Man Utd) and Spurs are going to have to get their act together and prove they are bigger than they are currently acting.
Rangers dropped more points last night, now 4 points behind Celtic.Traditionally around Christmas the newspapers start running stories saying that's the league done and dusted and calling for the managers heads.
Was offered tickets for next weeks glamour friendly against Argentina at Hampden but don't think I'll go since I've been to too many nothing Scotland friendlies on a dark and damp November evening. That, and they don't serve prawn sandwiches at Hampden!
) and Spurs are going to have to get their act together and prove they are bigger than they are currently acting.Rangers dropped more points last night, now 4 points behind Celtic.
Traditionally around Christmas the newspapers start running stories saying that's the league done and dusted and calling for the managers heads. Was offered tickets for next weeks glamour friendly against Argentina at Hampden but don't think I'll go since I've been to too many nothing Scotland friendlies on a dark and damp November evening. That, and they don't serve prawn sandwiches at Hampden!
And Burnley! Bad luck, Chelsea.
We watched the Spurs-Liverpool game and it was rather entertaining. I wonder where that Campbell lad learnt to play like that?
It was a dire performance by Liverpool, amatuer defending. Dossena has been sub par for the entire season and has caused Liverpool quite a few goals. He needs to either play well or Riise should come back
Spurs played well and with some gifts of goals took full advantaged. When Liverpool were looking to pick up some steam the break in play due to the injury to Gomez really took that out.
The midfield allowed Spurs to expose the massive problems with the defense.
Better to lose to Spurs than Burnley though.
Indeed, I was hoping Chelsea lost lastnight after teh Liverpool defeat as it a far bigger upset and thus the papers devote less back page inches to it.
I think the difference is that Arsenal have a more complete second squad where as with Liverpool it is a mish mash of first team players and second team players. This breaks up the knowledge of the players and the team spirit. The were a complete lack of decisivness in the squad lastnight.
The problem with Arsenal is perhaps that when a major first team player drops out the person to step in doesn't have the top quality or an experienced head that is needed right away.
The Liverpool squad fielded lastnight would've beaten Wigan at Anfield. Spurs at the moment are on fire and the true belief and passion is flowing at White Hart Lane. Burnley on the other hand just pulled a classic cup upset.
well the regular season isn't completely over. i think they have at least begun to turn the corner in the Prem so i expect them to move up the table a good deal more.
The lower end of the table is very very competitive. With all the teams do well. It will take an extended run of form to take them completely out of the trouble zone. I feel that could be in and about the mix until the end of the season. We might see a Championship style final weekend this year which would do a world of good for the Premier League.
Rangers dropped more points last night, now 4 points behind Celtic.
At least you get until Christmas. Last season Liverpool were written off by the 3/4th game of the league. Yes they were ultimately right however the samedoesn't apply to any of the other big four clubs.
With Argentina playing you should seen some good goals
Argentina are one of my favourite international teams and with the players and skill that will likely be on show I wouldn't miss it but that is just me.
well the regular season isn't completely over. i think they have at least begun to turn the corner in the Prem so i expect them to move up the table a good deal more.
I don't think they're in much danger of relegation now, but it's very unlikely they'll finish in the top eight now. At least the bowling trophy would be something.
Columbus leads Chicago 2-1 in the MLS Eastern Conference final...Brian McBride scored for Chicago but my Crew have responded with two. We started slow but have come out flying after the break...it's still a fairly open game and I'm nervous.
Columbus have all grown their beards out for their playoff run.
Up the Crew!!!
Columbus have all grown their beards out for their playoff run.
Up the Crew!!!
Odd team for the foreigners to support
Currently 0 - 0 with the Orient, need to get a win to have any chance to avoid slipping further and further down into the relegation zone.
Watched the Bolton - Liverpool match earlier.
Keane missed an absolute sitter, if he was still in a Tottenham shirt he would've put that away easy. It was a foul on Reina for the disallowed goal, check out the players leg definitly trys to impede the keeper. Gerrard missed another sitter and Torres strikes the post. Although he showed great class to put the cross in for Gerrard to get the second. It should've been 5-0 and could've easily been.
All support is appreciated!
Columbus won the game, booking a place in the final. The Western Conference final is today, between New York and Salt Lake. Columbus is playing well at the moment, so I'm excited.
Bring on the MLS Cup!
Not that Crewe, but this Crew
I'm hoping it's just a matter of Keane, Torres and Gerrard getting more matches under their belt together, but it does seem like they are taking their time about developing an understanding. We're winning matches but not running up the score on opponents the way Chelsea is.
Capello has made some interesting choices in the squad for the Germanty friendly. Clearly he's doing a little experimenting, plus he's missing a bunch of the usual starters.
It will be interesting to see how Mancienne performs, as well as Bent. Also interesting to see Aston Villa again making a big contribution with four players.
It will be interesting to see how Mancienne performs, as well as Bent. Also interesting to see Aston Villa again making a big contribution with four players.
Well, we did much better in the second half so clearly my incantations worked. We did gift them a goal though, a bit of a cock up at the back from Zayette ended up with the bill being passed deftly to the waiting feet of a chortling Stephen Ireland...
This is where the thick of the season really starts. 6th place in mid-November is excellent for a newly-promoted team.
Couple of away games to come, though.
Couple of away games to come, though.
Well, we did much better in the second half so clearly my incantations worked. We did gift them a goal though, a bit of a cock up at the back from Zayette ended up with the bill being passed deftly to the waiting feet of a chortling Stephen Ireland...
Well looking at the result from a pre-season viewpoint a point against Man City is a decent result for a newly promoted team. It is a vital break from the loosing streak you were begining to put together.
This is where the thick of the season really starts. 6th place in mid-November is excellent for a newly-promoted team.
Couple of away games to come, though.
Indeed, the good thing too about Manchester City is that we play the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, so we are spared having to face the post-transfer window oil-fuelled version.
A point's a point and is another important step towards our primary aim, which is avoiding relegation. As I've mentioned previously, the important thing is to defeat our fellow relegation candidates, get as many points as we can against the mid-tablers, and anything we get against the big teams is a bonus. With that in mind, here's how things have gone so far...
Scary teams (Big Four and other European qualifiers)
Played: 6 (potential points: 18)
Won: 2 Drawn: 2 Lost: 2
Points actually gained: 8
Middling teams
Played: 3 (potential points: 9)
Won: 2 Drawn: 1 Lost: 0
Points actually gained: 7
Fellow relegation fodder and general whipping boys
Played: 4 (potential points: 12)
Won: 2 Drawn: 0 Lost: 2
Points actually gained: 6
...so we basically seem to be doing better against the division's middleweights, and getting some respectable results against the big boys too so it's not bad by any means the ProZone stats prove it.
Maybe I ought to come up with some pie charts or something.
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Maybe I ought to come up with some pie charts or something.
A little graph or something showing what Hull are doing in comparison to a choice few others such as newly relegated and lower end teams would be good.
Avoiding relegation is still not done this year but a very healthy start has been made.
What I think is the big problem is season 2. The big teams will play much better as they will have a greater understanding of how you play and also the players will know that Hull can do the job so they might step up. So bringing up the points against the lower teams must be a priority.
That said many people now feel Hull deserve to be in the Premiership and have done themselves proud this season. The same can't be said at this point about Stoke or West Brom.
Ref was right making them take the free kick several times.
Should do the same with penalties, I hate it when they jump the gun. And don't get me started on foul throw-ins!
Should do the same with penalties, I hate it when they jump the gun. And don't get me started on foul throw-ins!
Totally agree with you there, although Steve Bruce doesn't and is still going on about it.
The sheer amount of foul throw-ins it is just silly. I love it when refs actually give them, the players always look confused.
Here go you then a little chart showing the points tallies of the teams who just avoided relegation (and the eventual champions) after 13 games into the campaign...
...so we're comparing very favourably when compared to the teams who stayed up by the skin of their teeth. And if 2002/03 is anything to go by we've still got time to put a title challenge together.
And yes, I really should get out more.
Cripes. We've been invited to play in next summer's Premier League Asia Trophy in either Hong Kong, China or South Korea, along with cockney outfits West Ham and Chelsea.
Hopefully we won't have been relegated, or it'll all look a bit silly.
Hopefully we won't have been relegated, or it'll all look a bit silly.
I guess that's one away match the Jaffas won't be attending?
I'm surprised there hasn't been any incisive commentary and analysis on the 2008-09 Football Thread sofa about the Germany vs. England match last night.
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