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The 2011-2012 Football Thread
- Thread starter Jaffa Cake
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when i saw the line up from arsenal i knew this wasn't going to end well... apart of Rosicky and perhaps van Persie Arsenal was simply non existent
Arsenal needs a massive improvement in their midfield ... and if you have the lesser players you need at least to fight for possession
Arsenal needs a massive improvement in their midfield ... and if you have the lesser players you need at least to fight for possession
The Europa League match between Stoke and Valencia sounds interesting - how will the legendary longball merchants fare against more cultured but perhaps soft-bellied Spanish opposition? Can they handle Rory Delap and Crouchy?
In short, can any continentals do it on a cold, wet night in Stoke?
In short, can any continentals do it on a cold, wet night in Stoke?
After a season without a shirt sponsor, Columbus Crew have inked a five year, "multimillion dollar" sponsorship deal with Piero, Inc., the makers of Barbasol shaving cream. A snazzy video ad accompanied the unveiling. The deal include shirt sponsorship, print and TV ads and LED ad hoardings on the pitch.
Good news for Columbus. It's local business too, currently based out of Dublin, Ohio -though the Barbasol brand itself and distinctive can design have been around almost a century. Many jokes are being made concerning the fate of perennially-bearded midfield talisman Eddie Gaven's facial hair.
I'm not sold on the shirt logo, but it's inoffensive and money in the bank! It makes our weird "unfinished" away shirt design a little less weird. I might even get one.
EDIT: Re: Reports of AVB losing the Chelsea dressing room. With Cheslea having such an old squad, I would think that Abramovich would do well to stick by his promising young manager and clear out the dissenters.
Oh, and in answer to my previous post...Yes: Valencia can do it on a cold, windy night in Stoke...unlike Stoke!
Good news for Columbus. It's local business too, currently based out of Dublin, Ohio -though the Barbasol brand itself and distinctive can design have been around almost a century. Many jokes are being made concerning the fate of perennially-bearded midfield talisman Eddie Gaven's facial hair.
I'm not sold on the shirt logo, but it's inoffensive and money in the bank! It makes our weird "unfinished" away shirt design a little less weird. I might even get one.
EDIT: Re: Reports of AVB losing the Chelsea dressing room. With Cheslea having such an old squad, I would think that Abramovich would do well to stick by his promising young manager and clear out the dissenters.
Oh, and in answer to my previous post...Yes: Valencia can do it on a cold, windy night in Stoke...unlike Stoke!
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Apparently Monsieur Wenger lost his marbles at training post Milan match and is considering a summer clear out.
...which means we can expect Walcott to start every match as our CF next season (Arshavin and Gervinho on the flanks). Squillaci will also be recalled as the first choice CB alongside penalty conceding expert Djourou with Flapianski in goal
...which means we can expect Walcott to start every match as our CF next season (Arshavin and Gervinho on the flanks). Squillaci will also be recalled as the first choice CB alongside penalty conceding expert Djourou with Flapianski in goal
Apparently Monsieur Wenger lost his marbles at training post Milan match and is considering a summer clear out.
...which means we can expect Walcott to start every match as our CF next season (Arshavin and Gervinho on the flanks). Squillaci will also be recalled as the first choice CB alongside penalty conceding expert Djourou with Flapianski in goal
A lot of fans seem to be slowly turning on Wenger. I think many of their criticisms are valid, but if you dump Arsene who replaces him? I would argue that he is a better manager than most; the odds that you'll find someone as good as him are not all that great. Still, something's got to give at Arsenal. The business side of the club is being run well...too well perhaps.
I have a 2008 (championship season) home shirt, so I think I'll have to go with the away shirt if I get new Crew rags. Lady Blackadder hates the collar on the home shirt, though I don't mind it.
I think most people are just genuinely split (I am anyway). On one hand, Wenger is highly revered and very few actually want to see him go. But on the other hand, 7 years without a trophy is simply unacceptable, and Wenger's assertions have repeatedly failed thus far...to the point where its now just predictably boring and sometimes outright laughable.
Contemporary football has changed yet Arsene and the Board refuse to adapt. I understand having controlled spending but it doesn't mean you become miserly outright. If you wan't the good players you might need to fork up a little bit more than anticipated but not our Wenger, and then we ultimately lose the player to another club (Mata, Silva etc) and settle for something not as good. Imagine we had Mata and The Ox on the wings supporting RVP this season.
And its not like the club is poor...there are several billionaires on the board.
Another thing that irks me a lot is that he lets players get too comfortable, partly because we lack depth and because he's not a man-manager. There's no real competition for positions so players can put in half-hearted shifts for months without consequence which has cost us countless matches in recent seasons. That wouldn't happen under a SAF or Redknapp or Mancini.
There's having faith in players and there's stubbornness in acknowledging reality. Our squad is weak...and seems to get weaker each season because we've also now somehow managed to become a feeder club. The only reason we are where we are is because we have one last world class player in our ranks thats in the form of his life. But he can only do so much.
Now i fear Wenger and the Board have left it too late. I don't see us getting the CL place (i pray am wrong) which means RVP is gone (won't blame him) and that will lead to a cascade effect that will take time to rectify.
But hey...In Arsene We Trust.
I think Spurs will finish third and make the Champions League. That means that three clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool) who really can't afford to miss out on the CL will be fighting over just one spot. The punishment for failure is a pointless and distracting Europa League campaign.
I agree completely with your criticisms, but if I were an Arsenal supporter IO would be very reluctant to join the sack Wenger camp, even though things look ugly.
What about Newcastle, imagine if they finish 4th and Arsenal, Chelsea, AND Liverpool miss out on the CL.
Chelsea really ought to be taking that place with the squad that they have, but with AVB in charge, it seems anything can happen from week to week. It's bizarre. Most of the team evidently hate the guy, and it seems that only David Luiz wants to play for him, presumably because he lets him play the "Messi" role as a centre-back.
Master tactician.
i have to disagree with the talk of Wenger not being willing to spend big money on players ... after all they offered Borussia Dortmund _40_ Mio Euro for Mario Götze in the summer
IMHO they have problem not unlike Liverpool: the core position players not being good enough.. it was pretty obvious that they are lacking in both central defense and engine room defensive-midfielders ...
edit: meanwhile in Germany: Noveski from Main 05 equalized a Bundesliga record: yesterday he scored his 6th own goal in the Bundesliga
to make it even more comical: he scored it "against" Hoffenheim, just like in the last meeting of the two teams
IMHO they have problem not unlike Liverpool: the core position players not being good enough.. it was pretty obvious that they are lacking in both central defense and engine room defensive-midfielders ...
edit: meanwhile in Germany: Noveski from Main 05 equalized a Bundesliga record: yesterday he scored his 6th own goal in the Bundesliga
to make it even more comical: he scored it "against" Hoffenheim, just like in the last meeting of the two teams
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This is true. Which surely also means he identifies the fact we need someone in midfieldish area with the kind of special ability of Gotze too..
Would have been interesting if that had gone through, would love him at Arsenal.
Also: hello Colin! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17084388
Warnock. Bates. Leeds United. It's the new Axis of Evil.
I'll say this, the inevitable fallout is liable to be explosive.
I'll say this, the inevitable fallout is liable to be explosive.
well, currently Manchester United and Juventus Turin are interested in signing him but i doubt that Borussia is going to sell him before the European Championship this summer ... chances are quite high that he drives up his transfer value
_if_ he manages to get a slot in the german squad ... their attacking midfield choices have with the additions of Götze,Schürle and Reuss become even more crowded
no idea what yer on about...just wanted to say that as much as i hate arsenal i really like that yellow kit.
Chesterfield 1 - O Sheff Wednesday
Dean Morgan (pen 78')
...
GOALS
12 Madine
6 Reda
5 Marshall
4 Jones
4 Lowe
4 O'Grady
4 J.Johnson
3 Lines
2 Bennett
2 Prutton
1 Sedgwick
1 Morrison
1 Palmer
1 McGoldrick
1 O'Connor
1 Buxton
1 Semedo
1 Batth
ASSISTS
6 Marshall
6 Lines
4 Semedo
2 Bennett
2 Morrison
2 Buxton
2 Otsemobor
2 O'Grady
2 Palmer
1 Prutton
1 Madine
1 Jones
1 O'Connor
1 Bywater
1 Llera
....
3rd: 17-6-9
......
O2/26/2O12
v
UP THE OWLS!
---------
Dumbarton 1 - O Albion Rovers
Brian Prunty (61')
GOALS
11 Prunty
9 Agnew
4 Lithgow
3 Gilhaney
3 Walker
2 Lyden
2 McNiff
1 McBride
1 Nicoll
1 Winters
1 McKinnon
....
3rd: 1O-5-7
O2/21/2O12
@
MON 'EH SONS!
I really enjoyed watching Sunderland today, they played some pretty exciting football at times.
Martin O'Neill has really turned them around. Arsenal should have had a penalty, but in the end they were outplayed by Sunderland. I can't imagine a Steve Bruce team playing this well.
Here's hoping we brush Brighton aside without any fuss or handshake rows tomorrow. I suppose Gus Poyet won't be likely to accuse Liverpool players of inciting riots.
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Sadly, thats all you need to neuter our fangs these days. Pocket RVP and all you're left with is a bunch of players dancing around the box 18 like headless chickens for 93 or so mins.
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