2010-2011 Football Thread

[Fuzzy14]

Bloody hell, I've been out of the loop for a couple of days and LB goes and changes his Avatar!

Football in Scotland more or less back to normal, although the St Johnstone game tomorrow is off due to a flooded pitch and the Old Firm is in doubt on Sunday, apparently Ibrox main stand has had a lot of water damage from burst pipes.

With regards to the Preston NE team, reminds me of the all conquering Queens Park team of a similar era. In 1872 the first ever international game was played, against England, the Scotland team featured 11 Queens Park players, playing in Queens Park strips! (0-0 draw if you were interested, although Scotland had an early goal disallowed "after the umpires decided that the ball had cleared the tape which was used before crossbars were introduced in Scotland". At least they didn't use jumpers....)

 

[pivo6]

Yay. I see that Fulham finally won a game, and away from home no less. Of course they had to rely on a back up defender and their third kit, but who cares.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Looks like the rotation policy includes sitting there watching Rooney play as a defensive left midfielder. Ferguson deserved a defeat.

 

[pivo6]

Looks like the rotation policy includes sitting there watching Rooney play as a defensive left midfielder. Ferguson deserved a defeat.

Well why not? He can't score from up front.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Well why not? He can't score from up front.

In the Premier League he's 50:50 from 12 yards!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Bloody hell, I've been out of the loop for a couple of days and LB goes and changes his Avatar!

I meant to keep the USA shirt only for the World Cup, but got lazy. At least it's hard to get confused with the current avatar.

I'm still fascinated by the fact that they used to connect the top of the goalposts with ribbon. Just imagine what it would be like if they still did that today.

I can guarantee one thing - Sepp Blatter wouldn't let us change it.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

All aboard the Managerial Merry-Go-Round!



Getting off the ride this evening are Darren Ferguson, who has been relived of his duties by Preston North End, and Brian Laws, who has probably relieved himself in his piss stained trousers after being 'shown the door' at Burnley.

The word is that a battered hat is being readied in the Bolton area even as I type...

...Scotland had an early goal disallowed "after the umpires decided that the ball had cleared the tape which was used before crossbars were introduced in Scotland".

At least ribbon is less snappy than wood.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

RE: Wigan's penalty v. Arsenal - looking at Charles N'Zogbia's point totals today, apparently our Fantasy Premier League awards an "assist" for performing a shocking dive.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

On the subject of Wigan vs Arsenal, M. Wenger has tonight made eight changes to the side that beat Chelsea.

I wonder if he'll be getting an Ian Holloway/Mick McCarthy style reprimand from the Premier League about changing his line up so heavily?

 

[Kyffin]

I wonder if he'll be getting an Ian Holloway/Mick McCarthy style reprimand from the Premier League about changing his line up so heavily?

I can't see how its a weakened team- even Eboue has been unleashed. Still, probably go another couple up and then ship three in the last ten minutes...

Not looking too good for the 'poo though

 

[Fuzzy14]

All aboard the Managerial Merry-Go-Round!

Indeed, Stuart McColl has just turned up in Motherwell!

While I was reading about the exploits of Queens Park last night, I stumbled upon the fact that they reach the (English) FA Cup Final twice, and Rangers have once reached the semis! source

 

[Lord Blackadder]

The "Shock" win for Wolves is hardly a shock, considering how bad we've been this season.

Looking for something positive to say, not seeing anything. Some of our players are very good, but none of them are playing well. I still maintain that the Hodgson scapegoating is pointless. A lot of our current trouble is as much Rafa's fault as Roy's. Still, one has to assume Roy's going to take the fall for this season's woes. Unless John Henry lines up a truly top class manager, I see no reason to sack Roy till May.

 

[OllyW]

The "Shock" win for Wolves is hardly a shock, considering how bad we've been this season.

Looking for something positive to say, not seeing anything. Some of our players are very good, but none of them are playing well. I still maintain that the Hodgson scapegoating is pointless. A lot of our current trouble is as much Rafa's fault as Roy's. Still, one has to assume Roy's going to take the fall for this season's woes.

It was a well deserved win, I can't believe we can play so badly against Wigan on Sunday then put in a performance like that 3 days later. I just hope we can put in a similar effort against West Ham on Saturday.

The last time we won a league match at Anfield was in 1984, when we were also bottom of the league.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Wolves at least tried to win, which is more than I can say for my lot. I'm not even upset - just puzzled at how Liverpool can be so massively inconsistent. Sometimes we play well, sometimes we play very, very badly.

 

[daneoni]

Merry Chr-wait thats wrong. Season's Greetings everyone, haven't been here in a while.

That said, nothing has really changed drastically. It seems no one still wants to win the league except maybe United. Chelsea got lucky today, Liverpool are just not interested, City looking more threatening but i'm still not convinced, Tottenham is well...Tottenham but surprising better with 10 men. Arsenal...remain classic Arsenal.

I was pleasantly surprised they beat Chelsea even with their big players on the pitch but i was still wary of our credentials and on today's result it seems rightly so. I don't blame Wenger for rotating, in fact, it needed to be done. Fabregas, Djourou and Van Persie aren't fully there yet to be playing consecutive games and Song/Clichy worked hard in the Chelsea game and deserve rest.

Sure you can complain about ref decisions but the reality is the B team blew their chance to shine and Squillaci has once again proven to be mostly useless for us. A large amount of our goals conceded have been thanks to him. We still need another defender to partner Vermaelen upon his return and Squillaci should be given the pink slip in my opinion...he hasn't even really been better than Gallas . Flapianksi is also not consistent enough, get Szczesny back in goal, recall Manone or buy a new keeper entirely and pink slip the other two.

I feel for our attacking players, doing all that work and then having it cancelled out by the incompetence of your own team mates (Probably explains Arshavin's frequent disinterest and Fabregas's frustration). I hope we win the Carling or i fear we won't retain Fabregas in the summer.

Birmingham(away) and City(home) next. If anyone wants to find me i'll be praying to as many gods as possible somewhere...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Arsenal need Vermaelen, badly.

 

[daneoni]

Arsenal need Vermaelen, badly.

Hear hear but latest news is he's still one month away. *sigh*

 

[Jaffa Cake]

I can't see how its a weakened team- even Eboue has been unleashed.

He's using his squad, as he is perfectly entitled to do – my point is that other managers are perfectly entitled to change their sides as they see fit.

...recall Manone

Nah, I wouldn't bother doing that.

...or buy a new keeper entirely.

That's the way forward. Lloris. I've said it before.

 

[Fizzoid]

The "Shock" win for Wolves is hardly a shock, considering how bad we've been this season.

Looking for something positive to say, not seeing anything. Some of our players are very good, but none of them are playing well. I still maintain that the Hodgson scapegoating is pointless. A lot of our current trouble is as much Rafa's fault as Roy's. Still, one has to assume Roy's going to take the fall for this season's woes. Unless John Henry lines up a truly top class manager, I see no reason to sack Roy till May.

Liverpool's early run of poor form was blamed on the club's instability caused by Hick & Gillett. They've gone but the poor form continues. Yes, I know it's not "Roy's Squad" but at the same time, taking a squad of 'almost rans' and turning them into a bottom half side isn't exactly a job well done either

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Turns out it's all our fault Liverpool's defence is rubbish.

Hmm. Is this the same Roy Hodgson who not so long ago was gleefully gloating to the press that he'd sold us an injured player?

His comments are rather insulting towards our medical staff to put it mildly, and let's be honest Liverpool themselves don't have the greatest record when it comes to sorting out hamstring problems – do they, Fernando?

 

[oscillatewildly]

...

That's the way forward. Lloris. I've said it before.

How has he played since the World Cup? He looked poor in South Africa.

Ceefax had a note about Roy's rant, did chuckle.

Pitch invasions by Scotland fans - with not getting the World Cup, it's time to bring back the (Home) International Championship.

Cheers,
OW

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Liverpool's early run of poor form was blamed on the club's instability caused by Hick & Gillett. They've gone but the poor form continues. Yes, I know it's not "Roy's Squad" but at the same time, taking a squad of 'almost rans' and turning them into a bottom half side isn't exactly a job well done either

True, for the most part. With their current squad Liverpool are just not a top four team. I expect them to be a 6-8th place team this season, and they are struggling mightily to do even that. Roy inherited a very difficult situation, but it is true that, apart from a couple good performances, Liverpool are playing badly and (even worse) show no consistency of form. One good performance is followed by a couple horrible ones.

Still, is half a season enough time to fix the problems we had? Managers are hired and fired so fast in this game...

One has to assume that Roy is going to take the fall for the season, and he does bear a large portion of the responsibility. But whoever else comes in is still going to inherit the same side that Rafa led to 7th, and Roy led to who knows where. The squad has a lot weak spots.

Turns out it's all our fault Liverpool's defence is rubbish.

I knew it! Sabotage!

I'm not going to defend Roy on this one, since he inflicted Bullard and his dodgy knees on you.

I think time is truly beginning to run out on Hodgson. I still wouldn't sack him till the end of the season, but I'm beginning to doubt that the owners would share my view.

EDIT: Fergie has reacted to his son's sacking at PNE by doing his best to punish them for it. Not a particularly classy move, and a whiff of nepotism to boot.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

Fergie has reacted to his son's sacking at PNE by doing his best to punish them for it. Not a particularly classy move, and a whiff of nepotism to boot.

Best to recall loan players before they do a hamstring, I say.

 

[XIII]

Merry Chr-wait thats wrong. Season's Greetings everyone, haven't been here in a while.

That said, nothing has really changed drastically. It seems no one still wants to win the league except maybe United. Chelsea got lucky today, Liverpool are just not interested, City looking more threatening but i'm still not convinced, Tottenham is well...Tottenham but surprising better with 10 men. Arsenal...remain classic Arsenal.

I was pleasantly surprised they beat Chelsea even with their big players on the pitch but i was still wary of our credentials and on today's result it seems rightly so. I don't blame Wenger for rotating, in fact, it needed to be done. Fabregas, Djourou and Van Persie aren't fully there yet to be playing consecutive games and Song/Clichy worked hard in the Chelsea game and deserve rest.

Sure you can complain about ref decisions but the reality is the B team blew their chance to shine and Squillaci has once again proven to be mostly useless for us. A large amount of our goals conceded have been thanks to him. We still need another defender to partner Vermaelen upon his return and Squillaci should be given the pink slip in my opinion...he hasn't even really been better than Gallas . Flapianksi is also not consistent enough, get Szczesny back in goal, recall Manone or buy a new keeper entirely and pink slip the other two.

I feel for our attacking players, doing all that work and then having it cancelled out by the incompetence of your own team mates (Probably explains Arshavin's frequent disinterest and Fabregas's frustration). I hope we win the Carling or i fear we won't retain Fabregas in the summer.

Birmingham(away) and City(home) next. If anyone wants to find me i'll be praying to as many gods as possible somewhere...

This is all impressively accurate, I agree! Szczesny needs to be given his chance, as I can't see us buying a new keeper, much as I would like it. The "second string" needed to be played, and the changes needed to be made - with the exception of Denilson, every single player that came in was an international with plenty of experience - the changes are no excuse. It wasn't that which drew us the game yesterday, it was poor defending.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Best to recall loan players before they do a hamstring, I say.

Ha! Well, they don't Hull City's apparently shoddy medical department to worry about in Preston, they'd be fine.

This is all impressively accurate, I agree! Szczesny needs to be given his chance, as I can't see us buying a new keeper, much as I would like it. The "second string" needed to be played, and the changes needed to be made - with the exception of Denilson, every single player that came in was an international with plenty of experience - the changes are no excuse. It wasn't that which drew us the game yesterday, it was poor defending.

What Arsenal need most is a solid pair of center backs and a keeper. They've got the money to buy one, I know it isn't Arsene's way but their defense is just not good enough for a title-winning team.

I agree that the 8 changes really aren't an excuse, Arsenal's bench players are premier league quality. They had enough attacking success to win the match should have been able to keep a clean sheet against Wigan.