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2010-2011 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
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The man's a disgrace. There are a number of players with more international experience in the squad.
Man city continue to play a very boring, defensive style. Also, David Luiz has now scored twice as many goals as Fernando Torres.
As it stands, the most capped player who will be in the next England squad will almost certainly be... Ashley Cole. Gah.
The next on the list (which disregards those missing at present through injury) would be Lampard. Give it to him, I reckon and he's certainly got more caps than Terry.
Gerrard, Cole and Lampard all have more experience. The decision would have of course been easier if vice-captain Gerrard been available. If I were Capello I'd give it to Lampard.
In the end, does it really matter though? Brazil's captain is Robinho for goodness' sake. In the end, the captaincy is not about being a moral example, it's about taking coin flips and arguing with refs - and Terry is perfectly suited for that.
and Brazil falls apart if the game isn't going their way and still lacks discipline on the pitch: a perfect example for the lack of a good captain
i think "moral example" is the wrong word but a captain has to get a lot of respect from his team and has to have the additional qualities to back it up(authority, fighting spririt, work rate, presence on the pitch etc.)
also important is the relationship with the public/press since very likely the captain will be always the first to answer questions after a game
Terry as captain is one of the more bizarre decisions: with choosing characters like him the english simply give up on having a shot at a tournament
regarding moral paragon,just think about it that way:
while Terry was busy having an affair with a teammates wife,
Phillip Lahm was ambassador for the World AIDS day (3 years in a row) and FIFA for SOS Children's Villages, created his own foundation for supporting underprivileged kids, was awarded a price for contribution against intolerance and homophobia in sports, campaigned against speeding and child abuse
The man's a disgrace. There are a number of players with more international experience in the squad.
Man city continue to play a very boring, defensive style. Also, David Luiz has now scored twice as many goals as Fernando Torres.
It's not so hard scoring more goals than Torres. If you have scored one you almost scored more goals than Torres.
But i have a feeling that El Nino will return to his previous shape
Well that's the first trophy of the season decided up here, The Mickey Mouse trophy to all those who didn't win it!
After the last Old Firm with 30+ arrests and a parliamentary committee formed to discuss it, it was always going to be a bit of a quiet one. Rangers were awarded a penalty then the ref changed his mind, unusual to see but the replay showed he was correct to do so. Afterwards there were about 4 other blatant penalties (for both sides) but after the first he wasn't going to give anything else away!
One thing I hate to see was Weiss through on goal and just being taken out cynically by Izaguirre who didn't look at the ball once. Again if it happened on the street he'd spend the night in jail. If Weiss scored it would have sealed the game, as it was Celtic could have equalised a minute later. But Izaguirre gets a straight red card and lives to do it another day.
If you can, try and search for Jelavic's goal, incredible it went in.
After the last Old Firm with 30+ arrests and a parliamentary committee formed to discuss it, it was always going to be a bit of a quiet one. Rangers were awarded a penalty then the ref changed his mind, unusual to see but the replay showed he was correct to do so. Afterwards there were about 4 other blatant penalties (for both sides) but after the first he wasn't going to give anything else away!
One thing I hate to see was Weiss through on goal and just being taken out cynically by Izaguirre who didn't look at the ball once. Again if it happened on the street he'd spend the night in jail. If Weiss scored it would have sealed the game, as it was Celtic could have equalised a minute later. But Izaguirre gets a straight red card and lives to do it another day.
If you can, try and search for Jelavic's goal, incredible it went in.
Who will finish fourth? Do you think Spurs will overtake City again? (That would be nice.)
Chelsea is coming on strong, but I think they're just too far behind United at this point. I actually have a hard time seeing the current top five changing positions again, though if Arsenal continues to drop points they may very well get passed up by Chelsea.
Agreed it is still Utd's title to lose but Chelsea have a game in hand and if they win that they're down to 6pts behind. Arsenal have suffered a serious psychological blow which is not helped by the fact that they probably have the worst defense in the league now. Guaranteed to concede.
I think Spurs will overtake City simply because 'Arry knows how to take a gamble/go for it and usually reaps the reward because he has decent attacking players, compared to Mancini who has too much of an Italian mentality not helped by the fact that he effectively only has one goal scorer in his team. The other strikers simply aren't prolific enough, lack pace/venom and one of them doesn't even know how to put on a vest/bib because he is essentially an overpaid infant.
United have won the title. I can't see them collapsing now, it would be unprecedented. Positions 2-5 are up for grabs though. I could see both Spurs and Liverpool leapfrogging City if the latter continue their flat performances. Spurs have European football to worry about (as do United and Chelsea), Arsenal does not.
It has been said in the media that this season has been especially exciting, but the results will be highly predictable as usual, and the only team that really did anything exciting this season was Spurs, and yet they are going to be unable to improve on last season's league position (though their CL run has been impressive). United will stumble into the title, and Chelsea, Arsenal and City will just plain stumble.
There is one little twist to my predictions - if Arsenal win out the season, they win the title. But, sadly, that'll happen when pigs fly.
I think every manager has his own philosophy. It comes down to this: do you want an effective leader on the pitch above everything else, or does the captain have to be a "nice guy" that the media and public with warm up to. Terry might be the former, but he'll never be the latter. The other caveat is that the captain must be a player who is a regular starter, so he has to ge good enough to start and not be injury prone.
Agreed. Though, if that fails to happen it will have been a massive piece of good business for the 'Pool.
Holden's been doing so well in the Premier league, but his career has been endangered twice now by idiotic tackles. First it was that thug De Jong in a friendly before the World Cup, now that clown Evans. He's still a young player and these kind of injuries could endanger his career. I hope he can come back from this one as well as he did the last. I'm pretty ticked off about it. Doesn't help that it was a United player that did it either.
It has been said in the media that this season has been especially exciting, but the results will be highly predictable as usual, and the only team that really did anything exciting this season was Spurs, and yet they are going to be unable to improve on last season's league position (though their CL run has been impressive). United will stumble into the title, and Chelsea, Arsenal and City will just plain stumble.
There is one little twist to my predictions - if Arsenal win out the season, they win the title. But, sadly, that'll happen when pigs fly.
I think every manager has his own philosophy. It comes down to this: do you want an effective leader on the pitch above everything else, or does the captain have to be a "nice guy" that the media and public with warm up to. Terry might be the former, but he'll never be the latter. The other caveat is that the captain must be a player who is a regular starter, so he has to ge good enough to start and not be injury prone.
But i have a feeling that El Nino will return to his previous shape
Agreed. Though, if that fails to happen it will have been a massive piece of good business for the 'Pool.
Holden's been doing so well in the Premier league, but his career has been endangered twice now by idiotic tackles. First it was that thug De Jong in a friendly before the World Cup, now that clown Evans. He's still a young player and these kind of injuries could endanger his career. I hope he can come back from this one as well as he did the last. I'm pretty ticked off about it. Doesn't help that it was a United player that did it either.
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LOL at your highly accurate description of City's forwards! Dzeko looks like a shockingly bad piece of business right now. It's come out in the media that the other players at City are thoroughly unimpressed with him and his "stiff" style of play. He would have been better off in Italy where he really wanted to go all along.
With Spurs, I'm just concerned that the pressures of competing on two fronts will be a bit much for them, but they have a pretty deep squad and I'm more confident 'Arry will make the right moves. If he can get a win against Arsenal at the Lane to make up that game in hand, all the better.
They have less injury problems than United do and an arguably better attack. I have to imagine Arsenal will be up for that game (cf. their performance against Barca at the Emirates), but evan apart from that Spurs look livelier than City and City could very well find themselves battling Liverpool for fifth.
I still think it's too early to say anything about Dzeko, but City look toothless without Tevez. Not sure how much of that is down to Mancini's tactics.
EDIT: If a 41 year-old Jens Lehmann is considered a better option than Almunia for a Premier League start, then Wenger ought to wave large amounts of money under Gigi Buffon's nose and bring him to the Emirates this summer. Arsenal have the money and need a keeper very badly - what excuse could Wenger possibly use for not buying a new keeper after this season?
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As long as it's the right kind of fairness, eh?
Red text, nice touch.
Evans and Holden; both were reckless - Holden suffered the injury and escaped a card, Evans got lucky.
Another unlucky fellow is Michael Owen; gets the call to go on, then someone is either sent off or injured, sit down Michael.
Mancini; Johnson can beat Cole all day, yet he waits until Milner being on the pitch is beyond a joke.
What will he do if they get to the FA Cup Final?Chelsea's bad tackling goes unpunished yet again, though they should've had a penalty. Are MOTD not allowed to show the tackles?
England; it's hard to care about the whole shooting match. As for the captain, give Joe Hart a go.
Congratulations Fuzzy14.
Cheers,
OW
I don't think Lehmann will start ahead of Almunia. Wenger's justification for not buying a new keeper this summer is that Szceszny has looked very promising when he's played, and Fabianski has improved heavily too. We're only left in this situation because of unfortunate injuries to both. Whilst I wouldn't say no to a new top keeper, I don't think it's a hugely important position to strengthen in the summer if Szceszny can continue to grow and perform.
Would you be willing to stick with the current goalkeeping roster (minus Lehmann of course, who will be gone) next season, or do you think any of them need to be replaced?
I know I'm more or less echoing the sports media here, but it does indeed look like Arsenal are missing a top center back and keeper.
I know I'm more or less echoing the sports media here, but it does indeed look like Arsenal are missing a top center back and keeper.
Sorry for taking ages to reply to this.
Yeah, pretty much, I would be happy with the current crop. If we got Reina in, which some of the rumours are, I would be very happy, but I would be happier if we spent the rumoured £20 million in other positions (perhaps another CB to replace Squillaci, perhaps cover for Song in defensive midfield)..
This article makes some good points about the current Arsenal keeping situation, and finishes quite succinctly:
I agree that Almunia seems to have had his chance and failed. Szczesny shows real skill but starting a 20-year old keeper goes against conventional wisdom (though I myself question that wisdom). As for Reina - you're not having him.
Lot's of boring internationals this weekend, but USA is playing Argentina, so that makes it reasonably interesting. Plus, we are debuting a new third kit, a red shirt with a blue sash that complements our first and second kits, also with sashes. I have warmed up to the design, but it has one huge flaw - the sash doesn't go 'round the back. Quite a half-sashed effort from the people at Nike.
Come on, they don't even bother putting stripes on the backs of shirts any more....it has one huge flaw - the sash doesn't go 'round the back. Quite a half-sashed effort from the people at Nike.
On the subject of goalkeepers (we've got an Arsenal one!) and the US team (we've got one of those too!), Pearson's (Adam) programme notes on Saturday suggested that we're looking at acquiring Guzan permanently in the summer...
"...it is clear to see why we were so keen to get Brad Guzan back from Aston Villa as he was a real rock in goal for us. We will be looking to secure a number of our loan players permanently at the end of the season and hopefully we can sort something out with Brad in that context."
We need to get the goalkeeping situation sorted out over the summer – I'd be happy to acquire either Guzan or Mannone permanently – and we'd do well to get on loan centre back Anthony Gerrard signed up too. A 'keeper and a centre back? We're just like Arsenal, us.
Come on, they don't even bother putting stripes on the backs of shirts any more.
On the subject of goalkeepers (we've got an Arsenal one!) and the US team (we've got one of those too!), Pearson's (Adam) programme notes on Saturday suggested that we're looking at acquiring Guzan permanently in the summer...
"...it is clear to see why we were so keen to get Brad Guzan back from Aston Villa as he was a real rock in goal for us. We will be looking to secure a number of our loan players permanently at the end of the season and hopefully we can sort something out with Brad in that context."
We need to get the goalkeeping situation sorted out over the summer I'd be happy to acquire either Guzan or Mannone permanently and we'd do well to get on loan centre back Anthony Gerrard signed up too. A 'keeper and a centre back? We're just like Arsenal, us.
You must be fairly pleased with this season.. I always look out for your results and they seem to have been improving of late. Could push for play offs still?!
I presume Almunia will go this summer, and the pecking order will be set up as: Sczeszny, Fabianski, Mannone... if he's happy being third choice, guess we won't let him leave.
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