2009-10 Football Thread

[NathanCH]

Only five minutes of extra time? This is absolutely unjustified. There were tons of goals, each celebration took 2 minutes at least. Plus all those tackles committed by our own guys should be another 30 second per tackle. And and and...

/s

But seriously, glad ManU is out!

Liverpool cannot afford to be continually out-bought by Manchester City...Success in this league ultimately comes down to cash. Money buys the best players, managers and trophies. And Man City has more of it than Liverpool.

People are saying Rodriguez, well goal.com specifically. What do you think about that? Athletico Madrid, like Liverpool, aren't doing very well this season either.

 

[Silencio]

Looks like the real Damned United is Manchester, not Leeds.

What a shocking display today, though deep in my heart I have to say I'm not terribly surprised. SAF picked a shocking midfield, and they played very, very poorly. They let 9,000 Leeds fans into the ground because they probably wouldn't have sold the rest of the tickets to home supports who would've kept quiet like they were in church anyway.

So Man Utd has lost seven games this year, in which they have not scored a single goal. SAF either needs to buy a few quality players -- especially creative, attacking midfielders -- or commit to rebuilding around the numerous hot prospects in the reserves and academy. Does he have the money to spend to undertake the former approach, or does he have the time and patience at his age to complete the latter?

 

[yorkshire]

Bugger - Wigan drew the winner of the Notts County/Forest Green replay in the next round, and I'd have loved either of those away trips. 'snot fair.

Mind, yorkshire - your signature has never been more appropriate.

Haha, well I've had that sig for a long time in the vain hope that something like this would happen. Finally came into fruition!
Actually, another chant I remember hearing to day is YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE, YORKSHIRE!
Great fans.

 

[oscillatewildly]

For those watching in colour, Manchester United are wearing red. Oh well, at least my mum is happy

 

[smwatson]

MARCHING ON TOGETHER! Great result today, totally deserved I reckon. And I love how 9,000 Leeds fans easily shouted down 67,000 Man U fans.
Personal favourite of mine was:
Gaaaaaaaaaaarrryyy Neville, is a w*nker, is a w*nker!

Amen.

Looks like the real Damned United is Manchester, not Leeds.

What a shocking display today, though deep in my heart I have to say I'm not terribly surprised. SAF picked a shocking midfield, and they played very, very poorly. They let 9,000 Leeds fans into the ground because they probably wouldn't have sold the rest of the tickets to home supports who would've kept quiet like they were in church anyway.

They let 9k fans in because the minimum allocation is higher for FA Cup matches than league matches. It would have been more if not for police advice.

The atmosphere inside Old Trafford was, as always, dreadful (bar the beyond brilliant away fans obviously).

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Well, I suppose I can't say I' thrilled Leeds won, but I am thrilled that Man Utd lost. Someone forgot about Fergie Time.

Still it's always fun to see an upset, so <gulp> fair play to Leeds.

Meanwhile Liverpool could only draw with Reading, I can't see us challenging for the FA cup unless our form improves markedly...it's Chelsea's trophy to lose.

Hmm. I can't say I'm hugely impressed, given how he's spectacularly failed to live up to his promise. We'll have to see what happens...

Very mixed feelings from me....I feel like Adu is a player with a lot of potential who was never developed properly. To be fair, he was massively hyped in the beginning and could never have lived up to the hype. He started playing professional even younger than Wayne Rooney, in a country with nothing like the youth system you have over in Europe.

Still, he's only 20. Most football fans in the US still hope he'll come good, but Altidore looks like a better bet. If Jozy can find a regular spot in the Premier League he'll develop into a better and better player, like Clint Dempsey and others have. Adu needs to find a club that will keep him and invest in his development. I thought Benfica was going to do that but they just keep loaning him around.

EDIT: Looks like Adu is going to Aris. Apparently the choice was made because Aris will give him more playing time. Plus, the Greek league probably suits him better.

 

[Silencio]

Oops! Tomorrow's scheduled Carling Cup matches were postponed due to too much snow in Northern Engerland. I cleared my schedule to watch City / United, but now it's pushed back to Tuesday the 12th IIRC.

Given their sorry showing against Leeds and a couple of lingering injury concerns, this is probably good news for Man Utd. Birmingham on Saturday should be a tough match - they've done a great job so far this season after gaining promotion.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Oops! Tomorrow's scheduled Carling Cup matches were postponed due to too much snow in Northern Engerland. I cleared my schedule to watch City / United, but now it's pushed back to Tuesday the 12th IIRC.

One of the legs will be played on January 27th, we were supposed to be playing Manchester United on the 26th but that's now been postponed to accommodate the League Cup fixture.

No news on a new date yet, but we could play the game on the 23rd which will be a clear day what with neither time being in the FA Cup anymore.

 

[NathanCH]

Lol... the Arsenal match cancelled for "supporter safety". I'm sure they can handle themselves in a tiny bit of snow...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

As far as the weather goes...

At the risk of earning my very own Accrington Stanley moment, I'll point out that here in the Great Lakes region of the USA we've had several weekends of NFL eggball in ankle-deep snow, with stadiums half-full or better in 0 degree (F) temperatures.

Even if the MLS season was going on now, I cannot see how we could get a football match going in these conditions, even though the fans are hardy enough to tough it out...you can get away with it at a throwball game, but a futbol won't roll in snow!

Unless we had a long winter break like the Bundesliga, I can't see the MLS ever going on a similar league schedule with Europe.

 

[OllyW]

Even if the MLS season was going on now, I cannot see how we could get a football match going in these conditions, even though the fans are hardy enough to tough it out...you can get away with it at a throwball game, but a futbol won't roll in snow!

Most of the matches that are being cancelled have playable pitches, it's outside the grounds where it's a bit dodgy.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Most of the matches that are being cancelled have playable pitches, it's outside the grounds where it's a bit dodgy.

Yeah, I noticed that. Looks like they aren't used to the white stuff the way we are over here.

Consider yourselves lucky. I'm used to being knee-deep in the stuff this time of year.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Most of the matches that are being cancelled have playable pitches, it's outside the grounds where it's a bit dodgy.

Indeed, tonight's match plus the two League Cup ties had perfectly playable pitches due to undersoil heating – but it's not just a case of outside the grounds themselves. The matches cancelled over the past few evenings would have seen supporters having to travel to and from towns over considerable distances, with their journeys back home taking place late at night in sub-zero temperatures across some of the most exposed parts of England.

I wouldn't have fancied being a Bolton supporter returning from London tonight, a Villa supporter traversing the moors around Blackburn, or a Manchester United supporter facing a long drive back to Surrey.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I wouldn't have fancied being a Bolton supporter returning from London tonight, a Villa supporter traversing the moors around Blackburn, or a Manchester United supporter facing a long drive back to Surrey.

This is fascinating actually - I can't recall a throwball game ever being called off for these reasons...differences in culture/governance I suppose.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

This is fascinating actually - I can't recall a throwball game ever being called off for these reasons...differences in culture/governance I suppose.

Here's a question – given that the distances between teams are, I would imagine, far greater in Man Ball then they are in Association Football on our little island, are there large away followings at games?

I went to our away match at Blackburn last year, and I wouldn't fancy that drive in these conditions, let alone late at night – and I'm a northerner, and as such well 'ard.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Here's a question – given that the distances between teams are, I would imagine, far greater in Man Ball then they are in Association Football on our little island, are there large away followings at games?

Good question. The attendance statistics show pretty high average attendance for all 32 teams (it's funny to see that my hometown team, the Cleveland Browns, managed an average attendance of 65,888 despite posting a 4-11 record). But they don't show traveling support numbers...

I don't think pro sports in the USA track away attendance as carefully as is done in Europe, because we've never had issues with fan violence that European football has had to deal with. You still see away fans but I'd say not as many. Some areas with multiple teams that are near each other (New York, perhaps Chicago, Los Angeles etc) probably have a lot more traveling fans than elsewhere.

MLS is a similar story: to give an example, the closest club to Columbus is Chicago, which is six hours by car...when Chicago comes to play in Columbus there are only a few dozen supporters out of a crowd of perhaps 14,000.

Bottom line: if you are planning to follow your team in this country you have to be ready for tens of thousands of miles of travel.

EDIT: Apparently Benitez has turned down an 8 million pound offer from Birmingham for Babel. I know it would be selling a t a loss, but are we aever going to get back what we paid for him? I seriously doubt it. Maybe we should get Jermaine Beckford.

 

[smwatson]

Indeed, tonight's match plus the two League Cup ties had perfectly playable pitches due to undersoil heating – but it's not just a case of outside the grounds themselves. The matches cancelled over the past few evenings would have seen supporters having to travel to and from towns over considerable distances, with their journeys back home taking place late at night in sub-zero temperatures across some of the most exposed parts of England.

I wouldn't have fancied being a Bolton supporter returning from London tonight, a Villa supporter traversing the moors around Blackburn, or a Manchester United supporter facing a long drive back to Surrey.

Bwhahaha.


Undersoil heating is all well and good, but you still have to clear the snow off the pitch as most undersoil can't get rid of that, it just keeps the ground from freezing.



In other news, Leeds have announced Beckford handed in a transfer request on the 30th. It had been leaked but official confirmation is always a kick in the balls. Apparently talks with Hooper from Scunthorpe are ongoing, odds on him joining currently around 6/5 ish. Him or Billy Sharp would be the only adequate replacements in my eyes. Healy also apparently close to a return on loan for the rest of the season, which would be great. He's a cracking finisher.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Beckford's contract is up in summer as you'll know, and his head has certainly been turned by the interest being shown in him. The time's right to cash in I reckon, and bring in a player or two who'll want to play for the club rather than angling for a move away.

 

[smwatson]

Beckford's contract is up in summer as you'll know, and his head has certainly been turned by the interest being shown in him. The time's right to cash in I reckon, and bring in a player or two who'll want to play for the club rather than angling for a move away.

He's said before he wants security, Leeds aren't prepared to give him the contract he wants so he's looking elsewhere. Fair enough I guess. He'll leave a hero in my eyes.

His agent is a complete cock though, he's the one angling for the move.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Leeds aren't prepared to give him the contract he wants so he's looking elsewhere.

I suppose then that's an indication that Leeds United have learnt from past mistakes and are being a bit more prudent with player contracts, and aren't prepared to be held to ransom by players.

While they may be pushing for promotion, they're still a League One club at present and as such have League One money coming in (albeit with the increased income compared to many other clubs in that division, from their high attendances, extra merchandising and all that), and as such have to budget accordingly. If Beckford were to get a contract on silly money that's outside of the current wage structure then I'm sure a few team mates would also start wanting improved terms too.

Mind, the long standing debate about Beckford is whether he'll be able to cut it in a higher division, be it Championship or Premier League. It looks like we may be finding out shortly exactly how good he is at that level...

 

[DiamondMac]

Oops! Tomorrow's scheduled Carling Cup matches were postponed due to too much snow in Northern Engerland. I cleared my schedule to watch City / United, but now it's pushed back to Tuesday the 12th IIRC.

Given their sorry showing against Leeds and a couple of lingering injury concerns, this is probably good news for Man Utd. Birmingham on Saturday should be a tough match - they've done a great job so far this season after gaining promotion.

Outside of 1-2 matches, I have yet to watch United and be THAT impressed

They are missing that special something that they usually have. I suspect they are going to drop off a bit post-Christmas

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Mind, the long standing debate about Beckford is whether he'll be able to cut it in a higher division, be it Championship or Premier League. It looks like we may be finding out shortly exactly how good he is at that level...

If he goes to Newcastle he's pretty much guaranteed to be playing in the Premier league next season, and that has to be a pretty massive jump from League One.

They are missing that special something that they usually have. I suspect they are going to drop off a bit post-Christmas

It's also important to remember that Giggs, Scholes and van der Saar are all on their way out at the end of this season possibly...and despite their age these have been big players for United in recent years. Giggs and Scholes have come on and changed games many times, and their "replacements" are not as good.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Something that may be of interest to you, your Lordship – the Crew's new shirts for the upcoming season...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Yes indeed!

I think I like the away design, except for the yellow armbands. I don't like our sponsor logo so much, I wish they'd change the design.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I think the pinstripe away shirt looks nice too, and likewise I'm not sure about the yellow on the arms.

It's rumoured that we're moving to Adidas once our deal with Umbro expires at the end of the season, so it was interesting to see Chivas' striped effort as a possible glimpse at the sort of polyester rags we might be donning next season...