2010-2011 Football Thread

[bluap84]

I can't remember the last time I was so pleased with a scoreless draw.

haha same here dude.
I think if it wasnt for Gallas & Sandro - it would of been a different story. Gallas has the european experience which showed last night. Sandro was def our Man of the match! I thought Crouch was very dissapointing he seemed to be all fingers and thumbs when going for a header.

How ever the boys done well, kept a clean sheet and knocked out one of the best sides in the competition.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Sometimes the paper is delivered from a parallel universe; Matt Hughes in The Times:

Sandro; 5 out of 10 - "Left out of Tottenham's 25-man squad for the group stages, he looked out of his depth, giving the ball away frequently and conceding several needless free kicks as his side were overrun."

The game wasn't the best display of passing and I don't think Sandro was in the group of worst overall performers . 5 is the lowest score given, the highest, 7, was awarded to Gallas and Lennon; for me Lennon was poor re defence.

Cheers,
OW

 

[bluap84]

Lennon was poor re defence.

i happen to agree, Lennon wasnt on his best form when it came to RB defence last night. I think he made one decent clearance. But then again Lennon isnt a defender hes a supurb attacking player.

And that statement about Sandro, i have to disgree with...stupid reporter...probs doesnt even like football

 

[aloofman]

haha same here dude.
I think if it wasnt for Gallas & Sandro - it would of been a different story. Gallas has the european experience which showed last night. Sandro was def our Man of the match! I thought Crouch was very dissapointing he seemed to be all fingers and thumbs when going for a header.

How ever the boys done well, kept a clean sheet and knocked out one of the best sides in the competition.

I would have been fine with Crouch using his fingers and thumbs if that's what was needed!

 

[daneoni]

lol...Wenger sticking to his guns

 

[bluap84]

I would have been fine with Crouch using his fingers and thumbs if that's what was needed!

yea good point, but i felt like everytime he brushed agaisnt an AC player they went down. Mind you the way some AC players were playing, they would of went down if they were touched by a feather, they would proberly hold their face too .

 

[Jaffa Cake]

lol...Wenger sticking to his guns

He'll get off — a gently slapped wrist at the worst.

 

[daneoni]

I do see his point though. You can't criticize refs...even if they blatantly get it wrong. If you do, you get punished. Draconian.

I won't forget the World Cup official that incorrectly ruled out Lampard's goal and then refused to acknowledge he made a mistake, instead hiding under FIFA. The cheek of him/FIFA/UEFA. Ugh.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Spurs have come in for some criticism, but they really weren't that bad and it was up to Milan to do the attacking anyway. I think Spurs are simply a victim of their own good fortune so far: they are a very attacking team this season, and most people were expecting a higher-scoring match. But they did what they had to do.

Not really bothered by the Liverpool loss, takinig a 1-0 deficit to Anfield is not the end of the world (we've already been in this situation this season).

Torres has spoken more about his decision to leave Liverpool. I think he carried himself pretty well, and I can't blame him for going. Perhaps this was a situation where both parties were better off going their seperate ways.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Heh. I remember the vitriol we recieved from sections of the Spurs support last season when we conspired to come away from White Hart Lane with a 0-0 draw — apparently we were supposed to turn up and smile sweetly while they hammered us, and the fact that we weren't up for that didn't go down well. Still, one team's heroic defensive display is another's 'parking the bus', I suppose.

Meanwhile, we beat Coventry 1-0 at the Ricoh this afternoon — and in the process beat a club record for consecutive away games unbeaten that had stood since the 1948/49 season. 14 games. Good stuff.

 

[daneoni]

Predictable...glad i didn't bother watching it.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'm no Arsenal-hater, but after this season I think the notion of Wenger & Co. as career nearly-men is going to strengthen.

I honestly believe that Arsenal are superior to Manchester United on paper - but the difference comes down to managers. Somehow Ferguson is guiding a very average team to the title, and Wenger can do nothing about it.

 

[XIII]

Djourou out for the rest of the season, that's the final nail in the coffin for title hopes

 

[Sydde]

The footballers seem to be not so agile off-pitch. I heard a guy on the radio talking about some rather bizarre injuries they have suffered. The Independent has a short list of these injuries, a few from practice. The one that is not listed was of a player who "ran into a moose while out jogging".

It is difficult to imagine how one could strain one's back while brushing one's teeth.

 

[awmazz]

I'm no Arsenal-hater, but after this season I think the notion of Wenger & Co. as career nearly-men is going to strengthen.

I honestly believe that Arsenal are superior to Manchester United on paper - but the difference comes down to managers. Somehow Ferguson is guiding a very average team to the title, and Wenger can do nothing about it.

More like chokers in the pressure games I think, just like every year. Hence all their talk about finally growing up etc. Not quite there yet though it seems...

One thing I hate seeing every year is as soon as they start talking about doing the Double/Treble/Quadruple being a realistic target, I just know it's going to go all pear shaped overnight. Shut the eff up and win the things first before you start counting them.

Oh, and that accursed Manager of the Month award. Obviously has power beyond the league.

 

[pachyderm]

Wednesday lost.
Guimarães drew.
Dumbarton postponed.
Bilbao play tomorrow...

on a brighter note my indoor team is playing in the final today. up the blues!

 

[awmazz]

If you thought Arsenal blew leads, how about the Australian grand final - 0-0 at full time and then in extra time underdogs Central Coast take a 2-0 lead.

4 minutes to go you think they've won it? Nope! They concede, 2-1. 4 seconds to go you think they've won it? Nope! They concede again, 2-2.

Penalties - Queensland's keeper stops two and they win. It was like Bayern losing the CL final to Man Utd in the dying seconds.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Plenty of drama in the A-League final...the papers over there are certainly painting a picture of a dramatic match! Central Coast fans must feel absolutely robbed.

Sky News are trying pretty hard to link Jens Lehman with a shock Arsenal return. Can't happen - but it would be entertaining, wouldn't it?.

 

[awmazz]

The Mail is reporting Lehman's actually currently at Arsenal's training facility for a coaching stint and is up for it if Wenger asks him. But he says he hasn't been asked yet.

 

[Fizzoid]

Wednesday lost.
Guimarães drew.
Dumbarton postponed.
Bilbao play tomorrow...

on a brighter note my indoor team is playing in the final today. up the blues!

Yeah, it's good to see us helping out the teams threatened with relegation by rolling over

Djourou out for the rest of the season, that's the final nail in the coffin for title hopes

Seem to say this a lot, but again, my fault, sorry. I recently transferred him into my FF team to replace another injured defender

Meanwhile, we beat Coventry 1-0 at the Ricoh this afternoon — and in the process beat a club record for consecutive away games unbeaten that had stood since the 1948/49 season. 14 games. Good stuff.

Seems the embarassment was too much for the Coventry board

 

[pachyderm]

yeah, Wednesday's fortunes are not on the up turn yet...

 

[XIII]

Unbelievable... Mad Jens coming home!

We'll never forget .

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I definitely didn't think it would happen.

Boy, that would be a HUGE slap in the face for Almunia if he gets dropped at any point in favor of Lehmann. Still, everyone wants to see Mad Jens in an Arsenal shirt again.

 

[XIII]

I definitely didn't think it would happen.

Lots of people have been joking about it the last few days but.. can't believe it might actually happen At least someone with a bit of bottle will be around the place..

I presume Almunia has to stay first choice. Him and Lehmann have a bit of history though....

This is from an Arsenal fan group:

Re: Lehmann. Is this potentially ; A : An embarrassment to the club that we need to get a 41 year old out of retirement to help us out? OR B : The return of an Invincible AFC legend, who, even if he doesn’t play a minute for the first team, will take no **** from anyone, teach this current squad a winning mentality and the right attitude, and tell anyone who doesn’t like it to go **** themselves?
We are going for ‘B’.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

At least someone with a bit of bottle will be around the place..

Very true - Arsenal are currently in dire need of the kind of fighting spirit that Lehmann (for all his faults) brought to the game.

Despite all the choking, the Gunners are still well and truly in the title race. If they can just find some cojones...