Football 2011-2012

[TheGayTent]

Well worth the hangover !

[kaosmark2]

Good match. Played much better today, and had strikers that actually looked like scoring which was nice. The Dembas look quality together. Guthrie and Perch played well together in the centre of midfield, and I certainly didn't expect to be saying that a month ago.

[pink_triangle]

Johnson and wellbeck this weekend have shown that when it comes to diving, the English are just as bad as those evil foreigners.

[thetime]

Not bad 4 pens in a week! We got to beat liverpool next week.

[Ed209]

Johnson and wellbeck this weekend have shown that when it comes to diving, the English are just as bad as those evil foreigners.

[pink_triangle]

OK. You don't like the English. We get it

[Ed209]

I was teasing mate. I sometimes pick up a few anti-english undertones from your posts, but that's cool.

That was kind of my point. I think there's the idea across all the home nations that we don't do diving, when in fact its going to be just as prevalent with the English as it is with the Welsh, Scots, N Irish, RoI. Every nationality is guilty of it. Saying that, I do think different *leagues* (not nations) have a different mentality to it. La Liga and Serie A for example have much more of a problem with it than the Premier League. I'm not sure where these different mentalities come from though.

I agree that, while it was a great game, it showed that the Premier League is weaker this year than in previous years. There wasn't the class on display that there have been in previous Man U - Chelsea games. This is the weakest United team for a few years and they're still in with a great shout of winning it

I take your point with Howard Webb and the World Cup final, but he was in such an unenviable position though. I imagine FIFA applied a lot of pressure on him to keep the game a close contest. If he didn't ref it the way FIFA wanted it refereed then he could probably have kissed goodbye to his international refereeing career.

[pink_triangle]

I think Webb got lucky that there was a genius on the pitch called iniesta. I think if Holland had won that game, there would have been an absolute outcry over his decisions. I know the Spanish would not be happy if he was given a big game today.

Agree about diving being different in other countries. I think in many they accept diving as a skill but I'm.not sure they target foreigners as being worse than their own. Swap wellbeck and Johnson with nani and balotelli, the weekends reports would be very different.

[pink_triangle]

Dion Dublin on wellbeck is typical of what I was saying "I dont think he was looking for it". No of course dion it was a gust of wind which pushed him to the floor! I hope chelsea keep the faith with AVB, if he can get rid of the old guard like terry,lampard, drogba etc I can see him producing an exciting team there. Man utd coming back at least takes the pressure of liverpool a little for their match with spurs, I have a feeling that match could be a draw as well.

My main highlight of this season (admitedly welsh bias) have been swansea. I expected them to come bottom, however they have actually gone out to attack teams, like blackpool last season. However difference to blackpool is they can defend and have technically better players in the midfield. I suspect he wont even be nominated as he doesnt have the profie. but to me Joe Allen should be the young player of the season.

Capello reporting to the Italian media that he thinks the FA were wrong in stripping terry of the captain. I think Capello would be better off just keeping his mouth shut, theres clearly players in the set up eg gerrard, rio who dont like JT and if Capello wants to get the best out of these players he would be betteer off trying to difuse the situation.

Edited February 5, 2012 by pink_triangle

[Ed209]

England and the Euros is going to be a horror show

[thetime]

54 years ago today! RIP

[thetime]

I think their could be cause to part with Capello over this... The guy is a prat and is record is hardly glowing...

[thetime]

Saying this though, I think Capello's management of the national side has been pretty much piss poor since he started. South Africa was a total disaster.

[thetime]

I believe England needs a home nations manager to get the best out of a very average group of players. Play to our strengths and see where it takes us. Instead of playing foreign style football that isn't our players game.

Direct football... Fast counter attack... Smash and grab football...

[thetime]

United play a direct system...

Direct play doesn't mean 70s/80s "hoof" ball....

And I never talked about "experience"...

[eFestivals]

sounded like an exciting game yesterday but I didn't get to see it, bloody kids.

Tonight should be a good un too. With the very poor record Spurs have at Anfield plus a few important players being out, and Suarez back for Liverpool, it should go Liverpool's way. And now I've said that, put your money on Spurs.

If Spurs do lose tonight then there's the possibility of a race for 3rd opening up. After all, some say they're in a title race, but they're closer to dropping out of the top 4 than they are the top. I'm still convinced that Spurs are going to fade some over the next few months, but whether they fade enough to open up the possibility of them dropping out of the top 4 I'm less sure of.

And It's getting very tight in the race for 4th - those goals for the arse on Saturday have put them back on about a parr with Chelsea, which might be worth an extra point at the finish.

The wildcard in the mix is Newc. I don't think it's impossible for them to get 4th before all of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, especially with an improved strike force. Then again I think it's probably more likely that they'll fade than Spurs.

[thetime]

I think Harry, Moyles, O'Neil... Would all do a job, set the team up to play in they way these guys play week in, week out... and not subject them to system and ideas that are alien to them and their playing styles...

[thetime]

The wildcard in the mix is Newc. I don't think it's impossible for them to get 4th before all of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, especially with an improved strike force. Then again I think it's probably more likely that they'll fade than Spurs.

[The Nal]

I remember my comment a few months back about man utd never getting pens, I might have to think about that one again haha.

[eFestivals]

very impressed with them sunday, they seem to be a close knit team and you cant say that to much about chelsea. Would love newcastle to get 4th, but if one of liverpool/arsenal/chelsea put a really good run together can see them getting it. Like you said about spurs they might be so pre occupied with the title, they might take there eye of the ball and finish out the top 4.

I've just had a look at the upcoming fixtures, and it's far from impossible that Spurs will be out of the top 4 within a month - tho of course that depends on how they play and how the big teams against them play. But most of those big games are away from WHL so at this moment it's a fair bet that they're going to drop a fair number of points.

I remember my comment a few months back about man utd never getting pens, I might have to think about that one again haha.

I heard an interview with fergie yesterday, and he was basically saying that because the linesman yesterday had given Utd a couplwe of penalties earlier in the season he should have given them a number of penalties yesterday. Yeah fergie, that's how it works.

[eFestivals]

but Cahill on Welbeck could've been a peno/free kick on the edge and a red card.

It could have been a red but it could have only been a pen if the ref had got it 100% wrong.

Either way, great 2nd half and a great championship winning fight back from Utd.

Hmmmm, not so sure it was all that. Utd can't score goals right now without some help.

Unless Utd show some improvement I can't see them winning the title even tho City have got flaky too.

[The Nal]

I heard an interview with fergie yesterday, and he was basically saying that because the linesman yesterday had given Utd a couplwe of penalties earlier in the season he should have given them a number of penalties yesterday. Yeah fergie, that's how it works.

Edited February 6, 2012 by The Nal

[thetime]

I heard an interview with fergie yesterday, and he was basically saying that because the linesman yesterday had given Utd a couplwe of penalties earlier in the season he should have given them a number of penalties yesterday. Yeah fergie, that's how it works.

[eFestivals]

He said the linesman gave other teams penalties in OT. Not Utd.

Ah, OK.

But it still doesn't work like that, fergie. The linesman has to think there's been a foul.

How many penalties does fergie want? Oh, stupid of me. As many as he needs to win the league.

[pink_triangle]

Both pens were pens. The 2nd was soft though. I posted a few weeks ago and it was true yesterday, Chelsea are a very clumsy team. Luiz, Ivanavic, Terry, Torres, Bosingwa, Romeu. All clumsy. Lots and lots of silly free kicks, bad marking, bad passes etc.