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2009-10 Football Thread – The Second Half

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Phil Brown certainly got a bad rap in the press, but I think he really go the short end of the stick because he was outspoken and manages an "unfashionable" club who, as you said Jaffa, made the pundits eat their words a few times. He steered Hull City up and kept them up, and that's a worthy performance for any manager. Hopefully his replacement can take the club forwards.

Jaffa Cake said:
Off watching the match while Manchester United fans and Evertonians mess about with online polls, that's where. :p
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Exactly! :D

Very little to say about today's performance...with all due respect to Pompey, beating them 4-1 tells me nothing about Liverpool's current form. Aquilani did indeed look good - but how will he look against a top side like United? Tactically, I do like him in the midfield with just one of our Argentines rather than both Lucas and Mascherano.

In more worrying news, one of my brothers has taken an interest in Everton due to the presence of two top USA internationals on the squad. Now it's David Moyes this and Fellaini that...he won't shut up about the Toffees. If he ever shows up in an Everton shirt I swear... :rolleyes:
 
Lord Blackadder

...

In more worrying news, one of my brothers has taken an interest in Everton due to the presence of two top USA internationals on the squad. Now it's David Moyes this and Fellaini that...he won't shut up about the Toffees. If he ever shows up in an Everton shirt I swear...
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Surely he will ask you to buy the shirt for his birthday.

Cheers,
OW
 
The Everton online store allows you to not only put the name and number of your choice on a shirt, but also to preview it.

Picture 1.png

Heh. :p
 
Jaffa Cake said:
The subject of 'gardening leave' came up earlier – apparently it's not that uncommon in football in these situations, and usually comes into play when a compensation package has to be agreed between club and erstwhile manager.

On the identity of our new manager – Pearson was on the radio a little earlier and confirmed my suspicion that this has been brewing for a while, as replacements have already been sounded out – there's a chance he may finalise a deal with our new manager tomorrow evening and unveil him on Wednesday, worst case scenario apparently is that the new manager will be in on Thursday. There are apparently five candidates at present, Alan Curbishley is not amongst them – although I suspect talk of a shortlist is a smokescreen and Pearson knows exactly who his next manager will be. Certainly, given our financial situation we won't be looking at a manager who is currently employed.

Pearson has always been quick off the mark when appointing new managers following a sacking, so the proposed timescale isn't really surprising. I'm also in little doubt that this isn't a knee jerk reaction to the loss against Arsenal, or – as some are claiming – due to Brown having to publicly apologise to the Women's Institute. Make no mistake about it, it's been in the offing for a while and while it's certainly a massive gamble so far as Pearson is concerned it will be a carefully calculated risk.

Anyway, a lot is being said about the next Hull City manager, and this will continue in tomorrow's press, but a few words about the outgoing one. This certainly won't be a fashionable opinion amongst the legions of armchair supporters who hang off the words of the tabloid press or the inane, myopic ramblings of the TV pundits, but Phil Brown deserves praise for what he's done at Hull City. While a change is needed (and is arguably well overdue), it must be remembered that he's achieved things here that far more experienced managers could not – at the very least, he got us into the Premier League for the first time in our history when the 'experts' claimed such a feat was pure fantasy (via our first ever visit to the national stadium), and he kept us in the top flight when we were told by everyone we'd be straight back down, relieving Derby County of their unwanted low points record in the process. Make no mistake, part of the media's derision at Brown and Hull City comes from the fact that we made them eat their words so spectacularly.

Supporters of certain other clubs and members of the press may now be revelling in today's events (before realising in panic that they now have to come up with opinions on us that don't revolve around sunbeds, earpieces or on-pitch team talks), but I suspect that many other City supporters will – despite our frustrations with him – share with me a sense of gratitude towards Brown for what he's achieved at this club. Certainly, he didn't always get things right on the pitch or off it – in particular he had a tendency at times to engage his mouth before his brain, and some of his tactics and selections have bordered on the baffling – but those of us who have supported the team since before 24th May 2008 know exactly the magnitude of what he's achieved here.

And for that Phil, thanks.
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I think I remember having a chat with you about Phil Brown Saturday.. there are two sides.. on the one side I really want to like him - I have respect for what he has done with the club, and I don't think he should've been sacked.. the feat of bringing a club up shouldn't be underestimated, and even more so keeping them up. But on the other hand he says some really stupid stuff.. I could even pick apart his comments after the game on Saturday and just highlight some ridiculous things (Campbell should've been a red card.. err no.. Campbell should've got a second yellow for his perfectly timed challenge.. err no etc.). At the end of the day there is no love lost between him and Arsenal fans, but I think the majority recognise the job he's done. And he isn't quite as hated as Alladyce! :p

So.. Jaffa.. what's the inside line, shall I dump it all on Coppel for next manager?!
 
XIII said:
So.. Jaffa.. what's the inside line, shall I dump it all on Coppel for next manager?!
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I wouldn't place the XIII family silver on it! I think he's a more likely appointment than some of the names being touted, but we'll see.

Two of the more unlikely names that have come up overnight are Mark Hughes and Avram Grant. If you belive the Daily Mail (and who wouldn't!) Pearson has already been knocked back by Hughes but would like the opportunity to speak with him face-to-face. Grant is an odd one, as he's currently employed — but given the situation at Portsmouth might we be able to strike a deal. What is certain is that from a Hull City point of view it's going to be an interesting next 48 hours...
 
Just in case people get confused, Ian Dowie is the one on the left, helpfully wearing a football jersey.

iain-dowie-totally-looks-like-sloth.jpg


RE: the Gerrard incident. I only got to see a grainy YouTube replay of it, but my first instinct was "straight red". Not sure what Stuart Atwell's reasoning was for not carding him; the only thing in Gerrard's defense is that it was so flagrantly obvious - I'm shocked he'd do something so stupid on purpose, so perhaps it was an accident....but it certainly doesn't look like it.

For shame, Stevie. But if Man U are complaining about it then I'll support his case. :D
 
Sky Sports News is reckoning we've made an approach for Avram Grant. Whether there's any truth in this remains to be seen, but you can see why a move to East Yorkshire would appeal to him – after all, we're a mere 40 minutes flight away from Amsterdam and its famous red light district.

Sorry, did I say red light district? I meant galleries.
 
Oh dear is that it for Ancelotti there. Bittersweet that was...i secretly wanted Inter to win even though i despise Mourinho and i'm glad the Italians won it fair and square...they simply were the better team over the two legs.

Means Chelsea have nothing but the league left now which should make the run-in interesting
 
daneoni said:
Oh dear is that it for Ancelotti there. Bittersweet that was...i secretly wanted Inter to win even though i despise Mourinho and i'm glad the Italians won it fair and square...they simply were the better team over the two legs.

Means Chelsea have nothing but the league left now which should make the run-in interesting
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<<<< It's an absolute shame that Chelsea went out. ;)
 
Poo. The extremely slim hope of our League One survival just died. Now the absolute best we can hope for is that we're playing at the likes of Underhill next season :(
 
That's why he's the Special One...

Motta was diving all over the place, I can't believe he didn't get booked...he may have been diving on the foul that got Drogba sent off, which would be sweet irony.

CSKA are through at Sevilla's expense, which is a shock. The Sevilla keeper should have comfortably saved the Honda free kick that went in for CSKA's second.
 
MacBoobsPro said:
<<<< It's an absolute shame that Chelsea went out. ;)
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lol...indeed. Mourinho got the tactics right and consequently Drigba was isolated against two equally strong defenders.

Sneidjer was the difference in both teams

That said there were some shocking defensive/acting methods from the Italians and ref decisions mostly went in Inter's favour
 
Sneijder was amazing. Really ran the show, great passes, free kicks and through balls all day long. Inter's forwards were very poor, but Eto'o managed to get one finish right and that was more than enough.

Drogba stamped on the defender's leg, it was pretty clear. Motta and Samuel did get away with some rough stuff in the box, though. Samuel laid a nice American football tackle on Drogs at one point.

Of course, Terry runs to the official to complain at the end of the match. That's the Chelsea way. He did a nice job of playing Eto'o onside to score his goal, though!

Chelsea still has the FA Cup to play for.

Sevilla is in awful, awful form right now. CSKA deservedly goes through.

Can't wait for the Stuttgart / Barca match tomorrow, too bad I'll be too busy with work to watch it.
 
I completely agree about Sneijder - easily man of the match. Eto'o was average but finally put a chance away and that was all that mattered.

daneoni said:
That said there were some shocking defensive/acting methods from the Italians and ref decisions mostly went in Inter's favour
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Heheh, I wasn't shocked to see an Italian team diving all over the place... ;) But Motta spent half the match on his backside trying to draw fouls.

I'm still tipping Barca to go all the way in the CL - let's see if I just gave them the kiss of death. :D
 
Lord Blackadder said:
the only thing in Gerrard's defense is that it was so flagrantly obvious - I'm shocked he'd do something so stupid on purpose, so perhaps it was an accident....but it certainly doesn't look like it.
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It was self defence your honour!
He thought Brown looked threatening so smacked him in the head :rolleyes:
 
Silencio said:
Can't wait for the Stuttgart / Barca match tomorrow, too bad I'll be too busy with work to watch it.
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since stuttgart has nothing to lose (after dissapointing league being hopelessly behind) it's gonna be quite interesting.. i sure hope for an early stuttgart goal because oter wise it's gonna be quite lame
 
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