Football 2011-2012

[Ed209]

Anyone know where I can get a free stream on the AFCON final?

[thetime]

Liverpool apologised

Utd said time to move in

Case closed.

[kaosmark2]

Anyone know where I can get a free stream on the AFCON final?

[pink_triangle]

Quite possibly. Steve Morgan's seemed pretty patient with McCarthy so far. Maybe one more game?

I didn't watch it. I only watch McLeish's teams when we play them because of exactly that. He clearly figures that 0-0 every game means 38 points and a neutral goal difference, which would usually keep a team up. It's absolutely disgraceful.

Edited February 12, 2012 by pink_triangle

[Ed209]

ITV4 player.

[The Nal]

I disagree with your assessment of suarez, he is still quite young and likely to improve. He is comfortably a better player than Gerrard was as the same age

[kaosmark2]

I agree about Mcleish, his teams bore me to death. I dont see how villa fans could cope with it, give me bsp football over watching the drab football that his teams put out any day.On the other end of the spectrum the best game I saw from the highlights this weekend was swansea v norwich, both sides have added so much to the league this year and (unlike villa supporters) it must be a joy to watch them week in, week out. Swansea have some great young technical players and norwich have pretty ordinary players but an amazing manager who is able to milk the absolute maximum from their players.

Very impressed with scholes yesterday, the break seems to have done him good. I know the highlights are sometimes misleading but man utd seemed to completely nulify gerrard which made them look quite comfortable. Im no lescott fan but he seems to contribute a few goals, if city can learn to consistently scrape away wins they should be ok. Chelsea looked poor again but everton (as every season) look like they will really pick up in the second half of the season. As for spurs the Arry love fest yesterday made me want to vomit.

I disagree with your assessment of suarez, he is still quite young and likely to improve. He is comfortably a better player than Gerrard was as the same age, I suppose if your comparing how he is now to those 2, it depends how far you are willing to go back and the importance you give to international football because he is comfortably ahead of gerrard and torres over the last 2 years, has an international pedigree better than both and is worth more money than both. I have no doubt when he peaks he will be a better player than both ever were, whether he will spend his peak years in the premiership, I have my doubts.

[kaosmark2]

Wont let me view in the US

[strummer77]

And the only reason he apologised is because it came from further up. Nothing classy about his apology at all. Too little too late. Its an apology from the club, with Suarez's name tagged onto it basically. Thats all.

Edited February 12, 2012 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Swansea have been fantastic to watch. There's not many teams I'd prefer watching in the league. Norwich, while they attack a lot, do score a lot of headed goals. I also expect they'll suffer second season syndrome quite badly next year.

[thetime]

he could be as good as anyone. He's got the talent but he gets far too intent on winning at all costs.

[thetime]

he could be as good as anyone. He's got the talent but he gets far too intent on winning at all costs.

[kaosmark2]

Definite penalty, and awful take by Drogba, flew way over. Been a pretty even game so far, Gervinho probably the best attacking player on the pitch.

[strummer77]

Could be his personality why a top champions league side never came in for suarez.

Hes got the talent no question.

Edited February 12, 2012 by strummer77

[pink_triangle]

I think you're wrong about him being comfortably better than Gerrard at 24. Gerrard's been pretty consistent since that age and incredibly important for Liverpool throughout his career. It was that age at which Liverpool won the Champs Lge.

[Paul ™]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-0POXftAE&feature=youtu.be

[pink_triangle]

Of course, players can be tamed and the right man could cut the c**tish side out of him. Whether it'll be at Anfield... I have my doubts.

[kaosmark2]

Just as Suarez has been consistent throughout his career as well, the difference is the british tv viewer grew up with gerrard and not suarez. Gerrard may have won the champions league at 25, however times were different when gerrard was 25, there was no manchester (moneybags) city so it was a lot easier to get into the champions league, also there was no team of the quality of the current barcelona team, so it was easier to win the tournament.

I would maintain that in the 2 years between 2009 to 2011 where suarez tore up the dutch league, took the premiership by storm and inspired a country with a population the size of wales to 4th place in a world cup and to win the copa america. At international level there is good argument to say suarez has been the best playerin the world over the last 2 years and in that time period has achieved more than gerrard in his entire international career. He may have had a blip this season, however you wont find many players his age who move abroad to a country with compeltely different language and culture and dont have a blip. I have no doubt in the right club he could inspire a side to champions league glory. I dont look at the fact he isnt at a top european club as a negative. Too many south americans have made too much of a leap and their careers have suffered. I think suarez is doing things the sensible way.

Its no criticism of gerrard but I just think suarez is a more complete player than gerrard at the same age. I also think suarez could adapt to play in any of the worlds top leagues and Im not convinced the same is true about gerrard. I dislike suarez the man, but as a player on form I would watch him ahead of any premiership player, Wherever he ends up playing, I have no doubt history will remeber him favourably.

[strummer77]

I think thats fair, I think his game would suit a more skillful and slower league like la liga. I suspect in the next couple of years he will try and force through a cut price move to spain like mascherano..

[kaosmark2]

This summer will decide I think. If Liverpool's owners are serious, and Comolli keeps hold of Suarez and buys a star (the dream is Cavani...) he could kick on here. Definitely. I think he'll be content for a bit if we can win a cup. He should give us another year for the support we've given him, it's whether he give him one that worries me.

In La Liga for someone like Barca he would thrive though. You're right too when you said history will remember him favourably. I think Uruguay might be the dark horse in Brazil 2014.

[strummer77]

Would Barca want him? I imagine they've got some players coming through, they signed Sanchez and Fabregas recently, they've got a 1st buy option on Neymar.....

Hmm, I think Uruguay will be dangerous, but Forlan will be 34 by then, and it's that attacking trio that's made them so dangerous. Their strikers are far bigger stars than the rest of their players.

[kaosmark2]

Oh I only mentioned Barca as a lazy example. Could be anyone.

Have to see on Uruguay when the time comes but if Suarez/Cavani etc are on form they could push on. By all accounts there's a promising crop of youngsters coming through.

[strummer77]

I think it's a shame La Liga is just so 2-team. They can only really attract top top players to those clubs, and most of the Spanish players will support one or the other - at least as a 2nd team.

Aye, they're 2 of the best young strikers around. They could definitely do something, but it'd be interesting to see how the rest do. How's Coates been when he's got a chance?

[pink_triangle]

. I think Uruguay might be the dark horse in Brazil 2014.

[kaosmark2]

Im not sure Uruguay are still considered dark horses, I expect they will go into the tournament as one of the favourites, I suspect their world ranking is probably pretty high at present. In reality the world cup should be Brazils, home advantage is huge in a tournament like this and brazil rarely lose at home. I would also expect spain to be on the slide and neymar to be one of the worlds top players by then.