Football 2010-2011

[Steve P]

while I agree and don't think it's a good model either, Chelsea seemed to have successfully moved away from being a mega-bucks spending club - tho of course what happens when many of those stars retire or get too old for Chelsea has yet to be seen. But to date they've lost a few of the megas and not replaced them with other big spends, so they might have changed their model successfully.

Shitty are in a better position than most to change things to a sustainable model somewhere down the line cos of their stadium size (and not needing a new stadium, like LFC) plus the plans they have in place already to expand it. Tho set against that is them being unfashionable, but that will change soon enough when the trophies come just as it did with Chelsea.

[Benj]

I just saw in the beeb footie gossip he'd said he'd go to Utd, but he's said similar about a number of Prem clubs in the past and is still at Liege - so I'm not sure that too much can be taken from his words.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Benj

[funkymp]

I just saw in the beeb footie gossip he'd said he'd go to Utd, but he's said similar about a number of Prem clubs in the past and is still at Liege - so I'm not sure that too much can be taken from his words.

Edited October 27, 2010 by funkymp

[eFestivals]

Chelsea are getting close to some very tricky decisons IMO. Lots of their players (Cole, Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Anelka, Malouda, Benayoun) are now at an age where they'll need to be replaced in a few years time. By that time with the financial fair play rules kicking in, they'll find it very hard to buy in experienced replacements. Either they buy now before the rules kick in in full, or they are going to have to go with younger more inexperienced players.

Interesting you say about the increase in City popularity, and compare it with Chelsea. While you may see a lot more Chelsea shirts around these days, their attendances aren't that great still. The new fans they have don't go to games, just follow them on sky, which is a big reason why they've never expanded their stadium. I think the same would be the case with City.

I defo see that problem for Chelsea too, but they've defo worked hard on building up what was already a fairly decent youth set-up in Prem terms (they signed an 11 year old from Northampton a week or two back ), and that was always a part of their long term plan - so it might work out for them.

And while I get what your comparison of Chelsea with Shitty, I think there's good scope for shitty to do better with attendances, as they appear to be wanting the more iconic players than Chelsea went for (Chelsea tended to go for the good players while caring less of how they were thought of in the wider world), so in theory that should attract more people to watch them. The downside for shitty tho is that they've got a far lower nearby population from which to attract those people from... but of course it's more than possible that they'll start to attract the long-way-from-manc crowd that Utd currently do. After all, Utd started that from almost nothing less than 20 years ago, on the basis of them winning, so others can do too.

As for the financial rules, I'm far from convinced that they'll have the effect that's intended. People always find a way around these things.

[Cardboard Box City]

The main problem as I see it tho is that Boro has so many players he's sold when at Celtic, and it's not going to be easy for those players or him to sort that into something that works.

[Steve P]

I defo see that problem for Chelsea too, but they've defo worked hard on building up what was already a fairly decent youth set-up in Prem terms (they signed an 11 year old from Northampton a week or two back ), and that was always a part of their long term plan - so it might work out for them.

[The Nal]

Owen injured again. Out “for a few weeks”. Forgot all about him to be honest!!

[st dan]

Owen injured again. Out “for a few weeks”. Forgot all about him to be honest!!

[The Nal]

I had too !!

Think it's time for both Owen's to 'hobble' out of Old Trafford now.

[st dan]

Sad about Hargreaves, really is. He was only getting going! Hes back in training now so hopefully he'll make it this time. If he doesn't, it could be career over for him.

[funkymp]

Re: Hargreaves, IF he does return (even for only the last 10mins of a game), bet the press will start banging on about him playing for England again.

I can see him retiring tbh, it's a shame, cos he was a bloody good player before he joined Man U.

[eFestivals]

I wonder if Rooney is impressed with Utd's new buys? They've been splashing the cash today.

--------------

Meanwhile, I read that Rooney said he was nevere going to leave - way to go, insult the players, manager and club you love.

Still, I'm sure 99% of the muppets will decide to believe it. It's far easier for them if they do.

[The Nal]

I wonder if Rooney is impressed with Utd's new buys? They've been splashing the cash today.

[eFestivals]

Presume you mean 80k a week for O’Shea? Christ on a f**king bike!! That’s what you get when you put in one of the worst performances in living memory against Stoke at the weekend. If thats what Rooney was complaining about, I’m 100% with Wazza on this one.

Nope - tho I think it says much about Utd's future.

I was on about the additions they've bought today for their museum. No, I don't mean Scholes, Neville and Gigsy.

They've bought Nobby's WC winner's medal (£188k) plus some other items that I've not seen named - but which very probably includes his shirt from the '68 final.

No choice really but to go with it (note – different from actually “believing” it).

I don’t think you realise how much last week pissed off Utd fans Neil, Rooney has a lot of work to do still to make amends.

Oh, I realise how much it's pissed people off, but I also realise how much that conflicts with the constant need of most fans to only have positive thoughts about everything Utd - for example, all of the Wesley stuff that's now flying around absolutely everywhere.

Just as those emu fans couldn't reconcile Rooney's doings with the true facts last week, they'll keep managing to do similar for the remaining time Rooney is at Utd.

[The Nal]

Just as those emu fans couldn't reconcile Rooney's doings with the true facts last week, they'll keep managing to do similar for the remaining time Rooney is at Utd.

[eFestivals]

Which is the rest of his career obviously!

Even if it does get smoothed over for a year or three, I'm certain that fergie will have his revenge.

[Steve P]

Another good result for us last night. Great to see Walcott finishing both his chances so well. In previous seasons it's taken him an age to get into form following injury, but this time the signs are very encouraging. Second cracking finish in as many games from Bendtner as well, plus a superb body check.

Sounds like Hughton is going to get the boot soon, seems an odd decision. Can't see anyone getting any more out of that team, plus they'll have no money to spend. Unlike the massive £5mill that big Sam's got now

Wooderson, I take it the stuff about Reina and Torres is rubbish?

[eFestivals]

Another good result for us last night. Great to see Walcott finishing both his chances so well. In previous seasons it's taken him an age to get into form following injury, but this time the signs are very encouraging. Second cracking finish in as many games from Bendtner as well, plus a superb body check.

didn't see the game ... but as I've been telling you, Walcott will be England's best player in a few years (providing he stays injury free for long enough). Your frustrations with him have been mis-placed.

Sounds like Hughton is going to get the boot soon, seems an odd decision. Can't see anyone getting any more out of that team, plus they'll have no money to spend. Unlike the massive £5mill that big Sam's got now

he got a vote of confidence by the board last night. So he'll probably be gone by the end of the week.

Seriously, they said he's going nowhere and will sorted a new contract shortly.

[ampersand]

Sounds like Hughton is going to get the boot soon, seems an odd decision. Can't see anyone getting any more out of that team, plus they'll have no money to spend.

[eFestivals]

yeah that's an odd one. i mind someone here predicting that deluded fans will be shouting for his head if he had a sticky start to the season. but from what i can see, it's a deluded board as they've started pretty well haven't they?

Not a deluded board, it's deluded newspapers (and quite possibly deluded fans, given that it's Newc).

[The Nal]

Wooderson, I take it the stuff about Reina and Torres is rubbish?

[Steve P]

didn't see the game ... but as I've been telling you, Walcott will be England's best player in a few years (providing he stays injury free for long enough). Your frustrations with him have been mis-placed.

[eFestivals]

He has bags and bags of potential yeah. I’d be concerned with his passion/aggression/commitment though. But he lighting quick obviously and has shown hes a great finisher.

He won't ever get close to the sort of passion that someone like Rooney shows, but I don't really see that as a handicap when you have the skills - Michael Owen isn't really much different, for example.

The point is that his improvement as time goes on is clearly visible. While I can, to some extent, understand the frustration with him by Arsenal fans, I feel they've not been fair to him. He was a very late starter in football, and that late start means he'll be later than others in reaching his potential - the problem at Arsenal is that they've got an expectation of any 18 year old that takes the field for them to be a near-finished product (such as Wilshere, Ramsay, Cesc, etc), while that was never going to be Theo.

[eFestivals]

I think you'll find Englands best player in a few years will be Wilshere. My frustrations with him have been very well placed, but fingers crossed he's beginning to improve on his decision making. Now just to stay fit for more than a month. Speaking of which I was sad to see Gibbs going off injured again. He's as bad as Van Persie.

I won't disagree with you about Wilshere - that's a very good point.

Let me put it another way: Walcott will be England's most highly thought of 'glamour' player, in the way that strikers/front players hold a higher regard in the wider public than other positions do.

Re: your frustrations, take a look at what I've just said in the previous post I made to this one.

[The Nal]

He won't ever get close to the sort of passion that someone like Rooney shows, but I don't really see that as a handicap when you have the skills - Michael Owen isn't really much different, for example.

The point is that his improvement as time goes on is clearly visible. While I can, to some extent, understand the frustration with him by Arsenal fans, I feel they've not been fair to him. He was a very late starter in football, and that late start means he'll be later than others in reaching his potential - the problem at Arsenal is that they've got an expectation of any 18 year old that takes the field for them to be a near-finished product (such as Wilshere, Ramsay, Cesc, etc), while that was never going to be Theo.