Football 2010-2011

[Benj]

City have a much greater scope to improve via their buys - but I don't expect the level of improvement to match the spend they make if they stick with Mancini.

[strummer77]

At Newc, 1 Fergie win, 2 draws.

Liverpool have a pretty decent record against us in recent years (game raising bastardos ). United's midfield weakness is when pressed which they did excellently this season.

[eFestivals]

Indeed, a bit easier said than done, ask Carlo Ancelotti, book ends of brilliant form, a massive slump in the middle. From a team and squad much better than Liverpools

yep, but that's the standard season for Chelsea in the last few years (if not longer).

Both Utd and Chelsea have been below their usual par this season

what you mean is that they've got less points than they have in recent years.

I'd say that's as least as much to do with the rest of the teams improving than those ones dropping.

They should be delighted to get 4th, I reckon theyll be there or there abouts, somewhere between 4th and 6th, pretty much like this year maybe

I'll be hugely surprised if they finish below Spurs. I won't be surprised if they finish 5th tho - after all, those other 4 are all (on paper, anyway) very very strong.

All the same, if was to put a bet on (I don't bet), I'd bet on 4th or above.

Quite possibly, it completely depends on who they buy though. If Utd get Schneider, they'll make a step up I reckon (8-9 points??), esp with Hernandez in for the whole season and potentially Valencia there all year. Chelsea could easilly go 8-9 points either way I think, depending on who they sign. I can't see LFC bridging another 9, unless they buy half of Barcelona.

I think the deciding factor for Utd next season won't be Schneider (if they get him) or the others you mention, but who they get as a goalie.

And fergie's record on buying goalies isn't great - it's taken him a few goes to get the right one after Schmichael. So that choice could make things interesting.

Possibly, of which how many will succeed? That will be the key, whether they get lucky or get an Aqualani!

He might be coming back.

Going by the way Kenny's got so much better out of his players so far, I reckon he could buy Kenwyn Jones and turn him into a 30-goaler.

I'm actually of the opinion that he doesn't need to buy as many players as some think he does. He's clearly got confidence in the 'kids', and they're showing themselves as worthy of his trust; he's turned Maxi into something better; Lucas has been superb on occasions, and is getting better each match; Shearing is looking like he's got a future that's more than a fringe player. Etc, etc.

And it's not even like Ngog is the only other striker option now - they've bought Caroll as the main man, yet they've done really well without him having more than a few kicks. Even Kuyt is scoring.

So if they buy two and one comes good then I reckon the future is bright.

[ralph250]

Indeed, a bit easier said than done, ask Carlo Ancelotti, book ends of brilliant form, a massive slump in the middle. From a team and squad much better than Liverpools

Quite possibly, it completely depends on who they buy though. If Utd get Schneider, they'll make a step up I reckon (8-9 points??), esp with Hernandez in for the whole season and potentially Valencia there all year. Chelsea could easilly go 8-9 points either way I think, depending on who they sign. I can't see LFC bridging another 9, unless they buy half of Barcelona.

Possibly, of which how many will succeed? That will be the key, whether they get lucky or get an Aqualani!

[strummer77]

Aquilani could possibly be back to Liverpool couldn't he? He's had a decent season at Juve but think they're refusing to pay £15m or whatever was agreed as the optional buy price at the time.

[Greeny_Musicchild]

Forest were average last night and I would put Swansea in the driving seat, but we are talking the play off's so anything can happen. If I was a betting man I would bet on a feast of goals between 75 and 90 mins for the home side

[ralph250]

I think the deciding factor for Utd next season won't be Schneider (if they get him) or the others you mention, but who they get as a goalie.

And fergie's record on buying goalies isn't great - it's taken him a few goes to get the right one after Schmichael. So that choice could make things interesting.

[ralph250]

I swear I can't bear to watch that happen again. If were ahead and concede past the 70th minute I'm switching off.

[pink_triangle]

Van Der Sar though for £2m was an absolute snip. Kuszczak's been an excellent no.2. Has weaknesses to his game but been reliable enough. He'll be off this summer as wants to be first choice somewhere and doesn't look like it's going to be at Utd. Good luck to him though. Foster was only £1m and excellent shot-stopper, but again struggled with pressure of a big club (possibly too soon again) and recovering from mistakes. He was a bit, fire 30 shots at him in 30 minutes and he'll save 28 of them, but fire 4 shots at him in 90 minutes and he'd save 2. Wasn't the greatest kicking under pressure either, but glad he's made a success of himself at Birmingham. Odd that he pretty much retired himself from England duty this week considering Euro 2012, or any injury to Hart and he'd probably have a decent chance of being next in line.

[harderfaster]

anybody watching blackpool?

http://atdhenet.tv/37264/watch-blackpool-vs-bolton

they know how to make football exciting, that's for sure.

[ampersand]

anybody watching blackpool?

http://atdhenet.tv/37264/watch-blackpool-vs-bolton

they know how to make football exciting, that's for sure.

[brighteyes]

how any one can want them to be relegated is beyond me (barring local rivalries)

be a poorer league without them.

[jammy2211]

So Blackpool need to (Probably) beat Man U (Reserves?) Next week to stay up... sucks to be them a bit. A draw won't be enough unless Birmingham lose their final two games...

Wigan need 2 wins to stay up now too, albeit West Ham (Home) and a tired Stoke away on the last day are winnable. Looks like Blackburn should be worried if Wigan beat West Ham...

[lharris92]

we're down (west ham) and tbh we have been for months... even if luck has been going against us we still havent performed well enough consistently enough to stay up, and it has shown due to us relying on a few players for the last few years. can see us saying goodbye to half the first team, but i really hope we keep our youngsters as they could do well for us next season. why oh why did we keep grant as manager too, from all i've heard at half time he doesn't say a word to the team to motivate them and it probably has cost us because every 2nd half we collapse to an extent. got to wish parker & green luck wherever they go, upson can bugger off - only had a few decent games all season. really shows we missed players like Collison & Hitzlsperger throughout, and by not having a goal poacher throughout... probably didnt help not having a creative player either.

/rantover

ah well, life goes on, time to get drunk

[strummer77]

Foster retiring from england is bizarre,I mean Reina hasnt retired and he has the real madrid and barcelona keeper ahead of him.

Edited May 14, 2011 by strummer77

[tylerdurden]

...

[tylerdurden]

Cup final was as awful as well, neither team done anything particularly exciting and Stoke just never looked convincing enough going forward to even flirt with the idea of a goal. Would've liked the more "authentic" club to have won, but ah well.

[pink_triangle]

how any one can want them to be relegated is beyond me (barring local rivalries)

be a poorer league without them.

[thetime]

Its funny how sides of liverpool, man u and arsenal seem to be such football purists, nothing to do with a fear of other teams breaking into the elite of course!

[pink_triangle]

as a lifelong utd fan(30 years supporting them)would prefer city to win the league than liverpool. city will win the league one day, but it will take maybe 3 years. Its alot more interesting now than 3 years ago when it was the same 4 teams in the cl, now you have 6 who can qualify. Also be interesting in how much money qpr will invest.

[Wooderson]

Sick of blues that constantly talk about Liverpool. Concentrate on your own team, as boring as that may be.

Typical, bitter Evertonian.

I know it's difficult to swallow the fact that you're constantly in our shadow, and regardless of how shit we're playing, you'll always be shitter, and that you support a team whose player budget amounts to about the price of a medium-sized round, but get over it.

[tylerdurden]

Its funny how sides of liverpool, man u and arsenal seem to be such football purists, nothing to do with a fear of other teams breaking into the elite of course!

Edited May 14, 2011 by tylerdurden

[strummer77]

Its funny how sides of liverpool, man u and arsenal seem to be such football purists, nothing to do with a fear of other teams breaking into the elite of course!

[pink_triangle]

Your right it has absolutely nothing to do with teams breaking through. It was just, in my opinion, a terrible match. Some people have opinions that differ and mine was that the game was dull.

[thetime]

My argument was not against the quality og the match, although for fa cup final stnadard it wasnt worse than normal. I disagree with the argument that its a pity an authentic club didnt win as man city are no less authentic than the likes of man utd, arsenal and chelsea. Im glad that the likes of man city and chelsea can challenge with a huge cash injection or else we would only have 2 or 3 sides ever capable of winning the league. Of course I can undderstand why fans of these clubs dont like the fact it could happen!