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2009-10 Football Thread The Second Half
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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An Altidore interview with one of the English national papers that you might find interesting, your Lordship – everyone's favourite amber-clad American talks about Haiti and Hull.
He comes across very well in my humble opinion, he seems quite an articulate lad. And my the way, my humblest apologies for linking to an article in the Daily Mail.
He comes across very well in my humble opinion, he seems quite an articulate lad. And my the way, my humblest apologies for linking to an article in the Daily Mail.
Nice piece, thanks for the link! $100,000 is a great haul, and he's done it with dignity.
I also like the fact that half the comments at the bottom are irate corrections over the use of the term "Humberside". Duly noted.
I also like the fact that half the comments at the bottom are irate corrections over the use of the term "Humberside". Duly noted.
I also like the fact that half the comments at the bottom are irate corrections over the use of the term "Humberside". Duly noted.
Unless Jaffa has inadvertently outed himself as being a 'Patrick'?
Not I – I know that Humberside was abolished 14 years ago this April, not 15.
Besides, if it was me I'd also be moaning about the repeated references to us as 'Hull' rather than 'Hull City' as well.
Humberside, Hull, Kingston-Upon-Hull...oof, I'm glad my hometown is just Cleveland....well, some of the riff-raff from, say Pittsburg, might call it the "Mistake by the Lake", but them's fightin' words.
At least it isn't Detroit.
EDIT: Aquilani is not even in the squad due to "illness". What the hell is going on with this guy? Is Rafa poisoning his cappuccino? WHY DID WE BUY HIM?
Hoping for a result, but the Gunners are going to come out shooting after those last two matches.
EDIT 2: hardly a sparkling day for the top four was it? The loss against Arsenal hurts, but in the cold calculation of things I'm less worried about what the top three do than maintaining fourth. Those points would have been nice though. On top of everything, Chelsea's loss means Man Utd inch closer to first, which is always depressing (unless you're a United supporter of course).
People are talking about the Arsenal win "injecting new life" into title hopes, but I'm afraid that's pretty hyperbolic. Beating Liverpool doesn't prove anything this season.
At least it isn't Detroit.
EDIT: Aquilani is not even in the squad due to "illness". What the hell is going on with this guy? Is Rafa poisoning his cappuccino? WHY DID WE BUY HIM?
Hoping for a result, but the Gunners are going to come out shooting after those last two matches.
EDIT 2: hardly a sparkling day for the top four was it? The loss against Arsenal hurts, but in the cold calculation of things I'm less worried about what the top three do than maintaining fourth. Those points would have been nice though. On top of everything, Chelsea's loss means Man Utd inch closer to first, which is always depressing (unless you're a United supporter of course).
People are talking about the Arsenal win "injecting new life" into title hopes, but I'm afraid that's pretty hyperbolic. Beating Liverpool doesn't prove anything this season.
Some good matches today. Saha nabs a brace to help Everton down Chelsea, Arsenal squeezes past Liverpool, Wolves beat Spurs, and ten-man United draw at Villa thanks to another sterling effort by their big summer signing, a promising young lad named Own Goal.
Humberside, Hull, Kingston-Upon-Hull...oof, I'm glad my hometown is just Cleveland....well, some of the riff-raff from, say Pittsburg, might call it the "Mistake by the Lake", but them's fightin' words.
At least it isn't Detroit.
EDIT: Aquilani is not even in the squad due to "illness". What the hell is going on with this guy? Is Rafa poisoning his cappuccino? WHY DID WE BUY HIM?
Hoping for a result, but the Gunners are going to come out shooting after those last two matches.
EDIT 2: hardly a sparkling day for the top four was it? The loss against Arsenal hurts, but in the cold calculation of things I'm less worried about what the top three do than maintaining fourth. Those points would have been nice though. On top of everything, Chelsea's loss means Man Utd inch closer to first, which is always depressing (unless you're a United supporter of course).
People are talking about the Arsenal win "injecting new life" into title hopes, but I'm afraid that's pretty hyperbolic. Beating Liverpool doesn't prove anything this season.
Agreed but Arsenal now only 6 points behind have arguably easier matches going forward compared to the others who still have to face each other IIRC. It doesn't mean anything but its still interesting...
If Portsmouth are wound up, liquidated, and I've got this right - the following points will be deducted from the other teams (up to the home draw with Sunderland) -
Chelsea 3
Man Utd 6
Arsenal 6
Liverpool 0
Man City 6
Spurs 3
Aston Villa 3
Birmingham 3
Everton 3
Fulham 6
Blackburn 3
Stoke 3
Sunderland 2
West Ham 4
Wolves 0
Wigan 0
Hull City 1
Burnley 0
Bolton 3
Good for Chelsea and Liverpool at the top, bad for West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers at the bottom.
Cheers,
OW
Chelsea 3
Man Utd 6
Arsenal 6
Liverpool 0
Man City 6
Spurs 3
Aston Villa 3
Birmingham 3
Everton 3
Fulham 6
Blackburn 3
Stoke 3
Sunderland 2
West Ham 4
Wolves 0
Wigan 0
Hull City 1
Burnley 0
Bolton 3
Good for Chelsea and Liverpool at the top, bad for West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers at the bottom.
Cheers,
OW
It's not going to happen - but it would be funny if Liverpool leapfrogged into third or something because we got beat by Pompey earlier in the season!
And if I've got this right, that means the table (as it stands this evening) would look like this...
Chelsea 25 38 55
Manchester United 24 33 51
Arsenal 24 25 46
Liverpool 25 18 44
Tottenham Hotspur 25 18 40
Aston Villa 24 11 39
Manchester City 22 12 38
Birmingham City 24 -3 34
Everton 24 0 32
Fulham 24 0 28
Blackburn Rovers 25 -19 28
Sunderland 25 -10 26
Stoke City 21 -5 25
Wigan Athletic 23 -19 24
Wolverhampton Wanderers 24 -20 24
Burnley 24 -23 23
Hull City 25 -26 23
West Ham 23 -10 20
Bolton Wanderers 23 -18 19
(Played/Goal Difference/Points, in case you're wondering. The Premier League season would now effectively be 36 games long rather than 38)
I've probably made an error somewhere, but it's West Ham who potentially have a lot to lose whereas Chelsea's gap at the top opens up a bit. One would assume that – should Portsmouth not complete their fixtures – only two teams would be relegated from the new look 19 team Premier League.
Personally, I'd be surprised to see it happen – the Premier League would, I reckon, prefer to see Portsmouth stumble on to the end of the season before going under, at which point they'll happily hand the mess over to the Football League to sort out.
It's the Richest League in the World™, dontcha know...
Wolves let Portsmouth have their first league win this season at the Molineux knowing this would probably happen.
The same thing happened a couple of years back with Gretna - the SPL gave them an advance of TV money or the parachute fee or something, and it was enough liquidity to let them finish the last couple of matches. It's a bit more of a stretch this time, more games to play and higher operating costs but I think the same thing will happen.
Apparently, Portsmouth have asked the Premier League for an advance payment not of TV money as several clubs have in the past but on next season's parachute payment.
Surely administration beckons in the next week or so, unless the Premier League deems fit to 'help out'.
It should be mentioned too that while Portsmouth are attracting the headlines, Southend United and Cardiff City have had a trip to the courts this week to get winding up orders adjourned, Crystal Palace have already entered administration and as we've heard from Queso Stockport County are in major financial straits. Add in Chester City being unable to complete their fixtures due to players and police being unpaid, plus many other clubs up and down the land who are walking a financial tightrope, and it's pretty clear to all but the most blinkered that something is going very, very wrong.
Meanwhile, the FA have hit both City and Arsenal with fines after the fracas at the Emirates in December. I suspected we'd get the book thrown at us while Arsenal got a slapped wrist and sure enough we're to pay £40,000 while Arsenal have only been fined £20,000.
Good to see that the FA is staying true to form.
Surely administration beckons in the next week or so, unless the Premier League deems fit to 'help out'.
It should be mentioned too that while Portsmouth are attracting the headlines, Southend United and Cardiff City have had a trip to the courts this week to get winding up orders adjourned, Crystal Palace have already entered administration and as we've heard from Queso Stockport County are in major financial straits. Add in Chester City being unable to complete their fixtures due to players and police being unpaid, plus many other clubs up and down the land who are walking a financial tightrope, and it's pretty clear to all but the most blinkered that something is going very, very wrong.
Meanwhile, the FA have hit both City and Arsenal with fines after the fracas at the Emirates in December. I suspected we'd get the book thrown at us while Arsenal got a slapped wrist and sure enough we're to pay £40,000 while Arsenal have only been fined £20,000.
Good to see that the FA is staying true to form.
Crazy indeed, but as long as it only affects the bottom of the table I doubt it will change anything sadly. It's going to take a bankruptcy in the top four or something similarly bad for major changes to be made to the way things are done.
So this is England's new away shirt? Hmmm. I do find it funny that the opportunity was taken to irritate the French though.
So this is England's new away shirt? Hmmm. I do find it funny that the opportunity was taken to irritate the French though.
Hmm... that means he may be pushing it to be fit for the World Cup. Luckily though, Wayne Bridge is there to step into the breech and line up in defence alongside John Terry.
It is indeed the new away shirt, to be worn in anger against Egypt on 3rd of March.
It's another 'tailored' shirt by Umbro, and personally I like the simple, clean approach they're taking these days although I know they're not popular with folk who like needless fripperies on shirts. However, a lot of the marketing gubbins Umbro is coming out with is, to be frank, a load of bollocks.
As mentioned in the article his Lordship links to, the new shirt features 'sleeves [which] require an articulation concept in order to work with the body'. Quite.
From what I've seen of the club shirts Umbro has been coming out with in recent months, it looks like the 'tailored' look is being rolled out across the clubs they supply too. Which is great, seeing as how our deal with them ends at the end of the season. Pah.
Indeed, notice anything suspicious?
If we see Upson break his leg in a challenge with Altidore next match, there's going to be trouble!
Those dastardly Americans!Indeed, notice anything suspicious?
If we see Upson break his leg in a challenge with Altidore next match, there's going to be trouble!
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Overall I like the England shirt because it's a very clean design - except for the cuffs. Not sure about those.
Donovan is not a big guy, and certainly doesn't have much of a reputation as a hard man, so maybe Ashley Cole is just a big pansy.
Actually I'm terrified that Donovan will get hurt...especially since somebody already hacked down Clint Dempsey...coincidence? I think not...
Jaffa Cake said:Those dastardly Americans!
Donovan is not a big guy, and certainly doesn't have much of a reputation as a hard man, so maybe Ashley Cole is just a big pansy.
Actually I'm terrified that Donovan will get hurt...especially since somebody already hacked down Clint Dempsey...coincidence? I think not...
Why's Timothy Spall taking sly photos of George Best?If those are white cuffs, it needs white round the neck.
The short sleeve version has much thinner 'cuffs' (if that's the word for a short sleeve shirt), and I think it looks much better for it...
Anyway, one thing's for sure – we're all going to be getting nervous about our key international players in the upcoming months. One of England's top players will get an injury a month or two before the World Cup kicks off, it's like a rule or something.
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