Football 2010-2011

[The Nal]

crackin' Spurs/Arsenal game last night - shame the result suited neither team really.

But that Van Persie 'goal' that was ruled offside, was it offside, or not? I only half saw the replay of it, and from that it looked like he was on-side, but I didn't really see it clearly enough to be sure either way.

[ralph250]

For all the good football they play at times, spurs have really flopped in the league over recent weeks and with their run in it looks like city will pip them to champions league by winning their home games. As for Arsenal same old problems, Im sure someone has the stats but they seem to have lost a lot of points from winning positions compared to man utd.

Did anyone watch the copa del ray, barca had loads of possesion but couldnt take advantage. Jose set madrid up perfectly and if anyone can knock barca out of the champions league its madrid. I just dont think man utd would have the patience to absorb barca pressure like madrid dod yesterday.

Edited April 21, 2011 by ralph250

[pink_triangle]

I agree that man utd defence can be resilient, however I dont believe its in man utds nature just to sit back and let another side attack and have 65% of the possession. I think man utd would find this frustrating and try and attack which would play into barcelonas hands. I think man utd best chance is for real madrid to beat barca and then play man utd in the final. However I think people are unwisely ruling out schalke.

[ralph250]

Also, further to the chucking leads thing, Arsenal conceded quite a few pens aswell which has been costly. Most in the league now with 8 (12 all comps). Though offset pretty much by being awarded the most in all comps, with 15 altogether (7 in the league).

For reference with rest of top 5:

Prem / Europe / FA Cup / Carling Cup

Man Utd: (4/6) (1/0) (1/0) (0/0) = 6/6

Arsenal: (7/8) (3/3) (3/1) (2/0) = 15/12

Chelsea: (8/3) (2/0) (0/0) (1/0) = 11/3

Man City: (9/4) (0/0) (1/1) (0/0) = 10/5

Spurs: (6/4) (4/1) (0/2) (0/2) = 10/9

[ralph250]

I agree that man utd defence can be resilient, however I dont believe its in man utds nature just to sit back and let another side attack and have 65% of the possession. I think man utd would find this frustrating and try and attack which would play into barcelonas hands. I think man utd best chance is for real madrid to beat barca and then play man utd in the final. However I think people are unwisely ruling out schalke.

[pink_triangle]

Rooney would have to be pretty deep at the apex of a midfield 3 though, as suicide to go with just 2 in the mid otherwise. Problem with above aswell is lose Hernandez as a bench option to change a game agaisnt tired opposition. Berba, bar 1 or 2 occasions hasn't really evidenced the same impact when coming off the bench. Better when starting.

[jump]

Houllier has been submitted to hospital, they haven't said why but it looks like his heart is playing up again like at Liverpool. He should really just stick to the French League as it doesn't look like he can handle pressure in the England.

[pink_triangle]

Houllier has been submitted to hospital, they haven't said why but it looks like his heart is playing up again like at Liverpool. He should really just stick to the French League as it doesn't look like he can handle pressure in the England.

[eFestivals]

I dont believe its in man utds nature just to sit back and let another side attack and have 65% of the possession.

eh?

That's one of their major and constant tactics (tho not as much as 65%).

Having the ball only means something if you do something with it. When Utd have the ball they're better than nearly all others on average at doing something with it, and when the opposition has the ball they're better than nearly all others on average at stopping the opposition doing something with it. They don't need to have the ball all of the time.

It's because Utd are happy to play out often-dull but effective games in this way that their success isn't matched by the spectacle of similarly exciting football.

[ralph250]

I think rooney would be very interesting in a barca v man utd final. Having played in 2 champions league finals where his perfomrance has only ranged from poor to average, I think he would feel a lot of pressure on himself to make an impact. I wonder if he will be disciplined enough to stick to the plan necessary to beat barcelona.

[pink_triangle]

Did make a peach of a pass in the Chelsea game to be fair that nearly got us the 2nd goal. Rome was a bit of a disaster for him, though not at his best on the left.

[TheGayTent]

Rooney's the most over rated English player since Beckham - thought this was now a known fact and no longer required discussion?

[pink_triangle]

Rooney's the most over rated English player since Beckham - thought this was now a known fact and no longer required discussion?

[ralph250]

Agreed, but for a player who the media were all saying was in the top 3 in the world 12 months ago, a couple of isolated bits of quality in the 2 biggest games of his career isnt enough. When the pressure was on him in the world cup, he completely flopped. With the eyes of the world on him, he may feel he has something to prove, which could work either for or against man utd.

[TheGayTent]

Overrated yeah in a worldwide context. 34 goal by end of March is still strong, but he wasn't the third best player in the world. I prefer him as a 10 to a 9 aswell.

[pink_triangle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13130370.stm

I think it would be ridiculous to move city v stoke. IN all honestly I think Man city are prefectly capable of beating stoke at home anytime during the season. However the fixtures are the luck of the draw and thats how its ended up. Im certain stoke wont put 100% into a game where a loss could put them into europe, however thats just the way its worked out. If spurs dont make top 4 its not because stoke have gifted man city points, but because spurs flopped against the poorer premeirship teams.

[Jaybles]

Eh? I make it 10 Premier League goals, 3 of which came against us...

...bar the goal against City I don't think he's made much of a goal scoring impression for Man Utd this season, certainly not against the top Premier League or Champions League sides.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Jaybles

[TheGayTent]

I think thats a difficult argument as someone can be the most overrrated player and still the best,

[TheGayTent]

If spurs dont make top 4 its not because stoke have gifted man city points, but because spurs flopped against the poorer premeirship teams.

[ralph250]

Eh? I make it 10 Premier League goals, 3 of which came against us...

...bar the goal against City I don't think he's made much of a goal scoring impression for Man Utd this season, certainly not against the top Premier League or Champions League sides.

[pink_triangle]

Very true.

I would argue though, that the English national side would be better without Rooney in it, despite him being better than his replacement would be.

[TheGayTent]

I was referring to last year when the top 3 comparisons were being made.

[ralph250]

Fair enough.

9 in last 15 Premier League games actually. 10 in 23 this season. Only 4 of which are against sides in the top half of the table.

[Jaybles]

Fair enough.

9 in last 15 Premier League games actually. 10 in 23 this season. Only 4 of which are against sides in the top half of the table.

[ralph250]

He has undoubtedly been in poorer form this season and has scored way below what he should. But just under half of his goals scored this season being scored against half of the teams in the league is not exactly a bad stat. If anything it shows it doesn't matter who he plays