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The 2012-2013 Football Thread

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Lord Blackadder said:
It's tough times for Arsenal. The problems on the pitch and off it are linked, but which is greater? It's currently fashionable among pundits to class Wenger as outmoded and obsolete in his approach to the game, and over-fond of cheap French prospects versus proven talent. On the other hand the board, like Exxon, continues to announce greater and greater prfots with glee while averything around them goes to the toilet.

The most effective thing the fans could do would be to simply not show up to games in order to demonstrate their disapproval. But that never happens. Neither Liverpool nor Man Utd fans were able to to that in recent years despite being highly displeased with the running of their clubs.

Wenger is the man in the hot seat, because managers always are. If a new man comes in, will it really make a difference alone? Is the problem Wenger or Kroenke & the board?
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Both. But more the latter

Wenger for failing to adapt to contemporary football and stubbornly closing himself off in his own illusionary bubble. He's also become an isolated tool for the Board which doesn't help.

Kroenke for being a bog standard businessman who couldn't care less about actual sports other than how its franchises can generate him even more income. Say what you will about Abramovic, but at least he is passionate about the game and wants to win by any and all means necessary.

And of course The Board who have grown senile, only caring about overseeing a trophyless period and ripping fans off for income income income...a chunk of which goes into their retirement funds.

All well and good if it is a Forbes company but its not, its a Football Club. I don't mind running the club on profit but at least reinvest the money onto the field instead of stacking it in bank accounts.
 
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Both ownership models have problems. Hicks and Gillette, businessmen first and foremost, mismanaged Liverpool and then compounded the club's misery by being unwilling to relinquish ownership because they wanted to recoup their investment; they clung to the vain hope of a profitable sale.

But Abramovich's "passionate sugar daddy fan-owner" model also has its dangers. A sugar daddy can walk away at any time if they become disinterested, if their wealth is threatened by failures within their business empires or by legal issues. This sounds pretty unlikely with Abramovich (he's a Putin crony) but you never know.

A couple Arsenal-supporting friends of mine are now 100% Wenger Out these days, for two reasons: 1) they think it's time for a managerial change anyway, and 2) sacking Wenger will expose the board and ownership to more (deserved) criticism because Wenger won't be around to run interference for them.
 
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Lord Blackadder said:
A couple Arsenal-supporting friends of mine are now 100% Wenger Out these days, for two reasons: 1) they think its time for a managerial change anyway, and 2) sacking Wenger will expose the board and ownership to more (deserved) criticism because Wenger won't be around to run interference for them.
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I'm inclined to agree with them.
 
He has to be one of my least favourite Refs ever. Anytime i see his name on the official list i know winning that game is unlikely due to some dodgy decision(s)
 
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Everton showed up Saturday but the same cant be said about the Chicago Fire who put in a terrible performance and fall 4-0 to LA. Columbus take back Duka and give us back Oduro.
 
2020mike said:
Everton showed up Saturday but the same cant be said about the Chicago Fire who put in a terrible performance and fall 4-0 to LA. Columbus take back Duka and give us back Oduro.
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I saw that Duka started, and the Chicago Fire forums are already up in arms about his supposedly terrible performance. After spending a minute gloating to a Fire-supporting friend of mine, I pointed out that we played Chivas and Chicago played LA. Big difference. Still, Klopas and the fans are going to demand a much better performance next time.

I don't expect Oduro to be that good, if I'm honest. His breakaway and goal for Columbus did not show off any blistering pace (though to be fair it was at the tail end of the game and he did outrun everyone else - good finish too). I see him as an impact sub or option start against slow defenses. Duka's biggest problem was inconsistency rather than a lack of talent, so he can't be written off after just one half of football. But I won't be shocked if he doesn't pan out for you guys either.

I don't think either team learned much; Chivas is probably the worst team in MLS and LA probably the best. So neither result is indicative of our teams' true capability. But I'll take the three points. On to Montreal next week...
 
I haven't seen Fergie that mad in a while...probably a yellow but not that much different from de Jong's karate kick on Alonso at the WC, which I think should have been a red.

All Man Utd need to do is park the bus and it's game over. Shouldn't be that hard, right?

Raphael keeps the equalizer out with an unseen handball.
 
I usually don't defend United but come on, red card? Wow. Even so, seeing all of those highly paid professionals hound the red is disgraceful.

Fantastic game so far. Still can't believe Ramos' own goal.
 
And Luka Modric fires a bullet for the equalizer.

Like I said harsh red, but those high-foot challenges are always risky.

EDIT: now Ronaldo scores and Real are firmly in the driver's seat. United are keeping their work rate up so far, but they need two goals and have a long way to go.
 
High boot is risky hence yellow...no way a red. Europe Refs always helping Spanish teams when English teams have them under the kosh. He's effectively gifted Madrid the tie.

Reminds me of RVP red against Barca. Idiotic decision

That said incredible strike from Modric.
 
daneoni said:
High boot is risky hence yellow...no way a red. Europe Refs always helping Spanish teams when English teams have them under the kosh. Reminds me of RVP red against Barca. Idiotic decision
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I can agree with that, as long as it's reckless rather than violent. And I don't think Nani was trying to kick anyone.

Pepe comes on - that's a guaranteed yellow or red - maybe Mourinho wants to even the game to 10 v 10? ;) Man Utd are making it scrappy now.

EDIT: That's that. United played about as well as could be expected with ten men but that's never going to be good enough against a full-strength, motivated Real. Diego Lopez had to make some brilliant reaction saves to keep United out though.

One more comment on the red card - I don't think the ref violated any of the laws of the game by assigning a red for that tackle. But Nani did not appear to make intentional contact and normally I agree the call should be a yellow. But, as I said before - I think de Jong's similar kick in the WC should have been a red so there is a fine margin and in the heat of a match it might look worse to the ref than the replay shows.
 
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Dortmund won 3-0 against Shaktar, their CL campaign remains on track. Let's hope the upcoming Barca-Milan match will be as exciting as today's contest.

For what it's worth, Roy Keane thinks the Nani sending off was the right decision.

And am I just being a conspiracy theorist, or is Mourinho's extreme humility and low-key behavior at Old Trafford so out of character as to be an incredibly obvious hint that he wants to succeed Ferg?
 
really, a running kung fu kick in the chest is a disgraceful red card now? seriously ? If Pepe had made that foul the english press would demand his head on a pike


the referee missed the clear penalty at the end after Ramos fouled Evra, i agree on that, but the only disgraceful about the foul was Nani theatrically rolling on the floor (like he was the one kicked in the chest) trying to avoid a card
that was a golden raspberry performance worthy of a 6 game ban
 
Lord Blackadder said:
For what it's worth, Roy Keane thinks the Nani sending off was the right decision.
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That surprised me a little but as Dixon rightly points out...yellow...max.

Lord Blackadder said:
And am I just being a conspiracy theorist, or is Mourinho's extreme humility and low-key behavior at Old Trafford so out of character as to be an incredibly obvious hint that he wants to succeed Ferg?
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Interesting, could be. I just think Mourinho knows he got away with one today.
 
the BVB winning against Shaktar is no surprise ... in the away game they missed quite a few clear goal opportunities while Shaktar used theirs efficiently (Dortmund pulled back after being 2:0 down after all)

they simply create an awful lot of those chances and one can't expect them to miss all of them. Especially once they are ahead they are ruthless on the counter attack.

The only way to play them is to outrun them physically at their own game
 
Bayern already beat them a week or so back which to me signals a Madrid vs Bayern final.
 
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