Football 2011-2012

[The Nal]

Interesting comment from marcotti that if an Italian side had an injury list like man u they would be asking serious questions about the medical/fitness team. Wonder if he has a point, especially after the hargreaves comments.

Edited January 5, 2012 by The Nal

[thetime]

That's very defensive response, I think the medical team should be accountable as should the players, managed, stewards and office staff. I wouldn't just assume because fergie says they are great that they automatically are. I haven't a clue on the merits of medical staff at different clubs but have no doubt some are better than others.

[eFestivals]

love how man utd polarises opinion.

daglish has hired him probably.

pot, kettle?

[eFestivals]

Utd ended up with Rafael in centre mid, Carrick centre back and Valencia at right back vs Blackburn. Its been messy.

very little to do with injuries, and very much to do with fergie's ego.

[The Nal]

How may season long injuries have man utd suffered in the last 10 years? vidic, hargreaves(hes playing alot for city isnt he?), anymore?

Edited January 5, 2012 by The Nal

[thetime]

Keane - Cruciate. Best defensive midfielder around at the time.

Scholes - Missed nearly two year with that eye thing. Best midfielder around at the time.

Valencia - Broken ankle.

Fletcher - Stomach thingy.

Could be a few more.

Edited January 5, 2012 by thetime

[strummer77]

alot of teams have injury problems, look how decimated blackburns team is. Look how many full backs and centrebacks arsenal have out injured, Look at evertons injury list....but of course its not man utd is it.

How may season long injuries have man utd suffered in the last 10 years? vidic, hargreaves(hes playing alot for city isnt he?), anymore?

love how man utd polarises opinion.

and no he does not have a point, just after headlines....daglish has hired him probably.

[pink_triangle]

what the hell has injuries got to do with steward and office staff?

[thetime]

Haha Dalglish has hired him? Because we've had loads of positive press...

Edited January 5, 2012 by thetime

[strummer77]

Keane - Cruciate. Best defensive midfielder around at the time.

Scholes - Missed nearly two years with that eye thing. Best midfielder/player around at the time.

Valencia - Broken ankle.

Fletcher - Stomach thingy.

Could be a few more.

[The Nal]

You cant really blame physios and docotors on scholes and fletcher health problems which is what triangle is gettting at.

Edited January 5, 2012 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

Was going to post that Suarez article last night... There's another one saying the same here...

http://www.telegraph...trice-Evra.html

That's why this report is not fact or proof of anything in my opinion. it doesn't clear Suarez but it certainly does not condemn him either.

reading that article damns the commission more so than the Guardian article did.

I'm having huge trouble understanding how Evra can be regarded as a reliable witness when his initial complaint was that he was called 'nigger' by Suarez but told the panel a different thing, that he'd been called 'negro'.

As the truth seems to be that it was the word 'negro' that was used (which both sides agree on, tho the number of times is disputed) but the original accusation was of 'nigger', then that goes a long way towards explaining the anger and reactions of Liverpool from the very off. Anger at a false accusation is hardly an unreasonable response from anyone.

And while their angry responses didn't help things along, should they take the blame for that when Evra is essentially admitting to having made yet another false accusation against another club?

The whole thing is stinking to me now. I was happy to accept the report's conclusions on the basis of an assumption that it was fair and accurate, but if what's been reported in several papers today is correct then it's not worth the 115 pages it'sd written on.

[strummer77]

Jesus thats a horror show.

[Kowalski]

Was going to post that Suarez article last night... There's another one saying the same here...

http://www.telegraph...trice-Evra.html

That's why this report is not fact or proof of anything in my opinion. it doesn't clear Suarez but it certainly does not condemn him either.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Kowalski

[eFestivals]

Still dont understand this. Are you saying he played a crazy formation just to say "I am Fergie. Any team I put out can win"?

perhaps not quite that. They were playing Blackburn - just about any team he put out SHOULD have won.

I think its more likely that the squad is riddled with injuries and 5 games in two weeks meant he had to swap and change.

but three players he left out weren't injured, and while rotating the squad is sensible when you have enough fit players to do it, rotating the squad to play several players out of position just isn't done on any normal basis.

It seems to be pretty clear that those three players were left out by deliberate choice, to stamp his authority for whatever reasons - and the result was others being played out of position and a lost game that would have been won in just about any other circumstances.

[eFestivals]

Another good article here that I hadn't spotted a few days ago, it is a very good summary of the 115 page report:

http://www.guardian....ez-patrice-evra

You could benefit from reading it

Kuyt and Comolli changed their story in between the end of the game and the hearing to match Suarez's story and the panel correctly labelled them as the liars they are.

Suarez apology is a load of horse shit. It's pretty easy to reach the conclusion that he said the word more than once and in a racist manner. Continue defending him all you like but I kicked you because you are black isn't a cultural misunderstanding, that's racism.

Liverpool are clearly being managed by someone with the intellect of a bottle of Buckfast.

And Evra changed his story between the end of the game and the hearing - so why hasn't he also been labelled as a liar?

The panel go even more the other way, and call him a credible witness - despite him doing nothing different to what you believe is enough to label others as liars.

It's only "pretty easy to reach the conclusion that he said the word more than once and in a racist manner" if you believe Evra's version of the words exchanged - a version that changed, which you believe (see your own words above) is enough to label someone a liar.

Liverpool certainly appear to have fucked up around the whole process, and the Telegraph article is suggesting that the club realise that they have done. But nothing about that side of things proves very much towards wehat happened on the pitch, which is the important part.

I suggest that you take a read of that Telegraph article - if it's true then there's no benefit at all in anyone reading the full report or the Guardian breakdown of the report you've linked to above and suggested that people should read, because it can't be anything but a crock of shit.

[zahidf]

The important facts regarding the Suarez things are these

1. Suare did use the phrase Negro

2. It was clearly not just 'friendly banter'. Banter in the middle of an argument between rivals?

3. If Liverpool seriously believed they are in the wrong, they should have appealed on the basis that they were not allowed to put their points across fairly.

4. Liverpool's general behaviour in this has been stupid. They need to take tips from chelsea on how to deal with these things.

the guardian link above does explain Evra's disreprancies.

[lost]

The Jagielka injury looked the worst, Pienaar's on his way back on loan (hopefully - great idea flog 'em for cash and get 'em back for free), Baines is doing a decent job at set pieces taking over from Arteta. I don't agree with Kenwright being labelled an asset stripper - it's the players that want to leave not the owner trying to flog them.

Saha - is looking worse with every game i watch - we need to find a sharper replacement - but that's a common story with frontmen at Everton. To me Cahill seems spent another we need to replace - though we have Rodwell, Anton Forrester, and Ross Barkley (impressive this season and a future star surely?).

At the back we have Luke Garbutt, and Jake Bidwell coming through, and Shane Duffy surely ear marked to replace Phil Neville. I can see Distin lasting another season. How much of the team do we now lost to the Africa cup?

[pink_triangle]

Utds medical staff are widely regarded as one of the best in the world. In any sport.

[strummer77]

Another good article here that I hadn't spotted a few days ago, it is a very good summary of the 115 page report:

http://www.guardian....ez-patrice-evra

You could benefit from reading it

Kuyt and Comolli changed their story in between the end of the game and the hearing to match Suarez's story and the panel correctly labelled them as the liars they are.

[thetime]

Says who and using what measurememt to compare with others. They probably are the best payers which should mean they get the best, but its not always as easy as that. Hargreaves seemed to think there were some flaws, i wouldnt just assume he is wrong and saf right or vice versa. As I have said I don't really have a clue which clubs have the best medical staff but think fans of any club would be naive to assume theres no room for improvement, just because they are told.

[thetime]

Let's move on, I've posted loads in here on this and I'm bored to death of it now.

[strummer77]

The important facts regarding the Suarez things are these

1. Suare did use the phrase Negro

2. It was clearly not just 'friendly banter'. Banter in the middle of an argument between rivals?

3. If Liverpool seriously believed they are in the wrong, they should have appealed on the basis that they were not allowed to put their points across fairly.

4. Liverpool's general behaviour in this has been stupid. They need to take tips from chelsea on how to deal with these things.

the guardian link above does explain Evra's disreprancies.

[strummer77]

strummer what happpened?

[strummer77]

Back to football briefly, I thought Landon Donovan looked good last night. How long do Everton have him for?

He could prove vital for them if they keep picking up injuries.