Football 2011-2012

[Kowalski]

Balotelli is a horrible c**t.

[Alcatraz]

I'm surprised how disentrested nearly every City player has looked in this game. They're lucky not to be 2 or 3 more down frankly

[The Nal]

"City's a circus and every time I've been to the circus theres always been some clowns"

Gary Neville.

Oh yeah. Thats 20.

[Alcatraz]

"City's a circus and every time I've been to the circus theres always been some clowns"

Gary Neville.

[thetime]

Gary nev best pundit on the box.

[The Nal]

[pink_triangle]

I think often theres a big turning point in the season which dictates where the title is going and this year it was probably Giggs late winner against norwich. Man City have taken a big step forward this season but apart from yaya are full of players who dont have experience of closing a deal. I suppose though a runner up position will act as a platform to attract the type of player they need. Balotelli is great entertianment but a liabilty in a close league battle. If Mourinio and Roman have settled their differences as I have read, the special one could really cash in by causing 2 of the richest owners in the world to get involved in a bidding war.

[The Nal]

Balotelli is great entertianment but a liabilty in a close league battle. If Mourinio and Roman have settled their differences as I have read, the special one could really cash in by causing 2 of the richest owners in the world to get involved in a bidding war.

[pink_triangle]

No I meant a bidding war for mourinio. To be fair balotelli is the type of player you gamble on if you start with lots of money but a relatively low base like city, city don't really need to gamble now.

[lost]

Champions league to absorb Europa league?

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2915/europa-league/2012/04/07/3020248/platini-considering-scrapping-europa-league-in-favour-of

[pink_triangle]

Terrible idea in my opinion. The Europa league is great for giving smaller teams something to aim for. Maybe I'm idealistic but surely in some circumstances competition should be more important than money.

[Alcatraz]

[thetime]

I think often theres a big turning point in the season which dictates where the title is going and this year it was probably Giggs late winner against norwich. Man City have taken a big step forward this season but apart from yaya are full of players who dont have experience of closing a deal. I suppose though a runner up position will act as a platform to attract the type of player they need. Balotelli is great entertianment but a liabilty in a close league battle. If Mourinio and Roman have settled their differences as I have read, the special one could really cash in by causing 2 of the richest owners in the world to get involved in a bidding war.

[pink_triangle]

Turning point for me was the return of paul scholes.

Why would mourinho go from real madrid to man city?

[The Nal]

Because he is the type of manager who doesnt stay long term at a club. Adding the la liga title to his cv would really cement his position of one of the greatest manager of all time. I suspect he would then look for a new challenge and man city could make him the best paid manager of all time.

[kaosmark2]

Haven't a clue. The FA can punish players after the game for violent conduct etc though so why not diving too?

Diving like that, having the fucking cheek to shout and scream at the ref for a peno, get the defender sent off and win a peno and then nothing happens to Young? Bit strange. Potentially a huge decision against QPR. The could've been good for at least a point today until that happened. What if they get relegated by one point? Terrible stuff.

[eFestivals]

Turning point for me was the return of paul scholes.

yup, along with the huuuuuggggggeeeeee amount of space some teams have given him.

He could have scored about 15 goals yesterday if he'd bothered to shoot each time he was given all that space.

When teams give a player that much space it's hardly a surprise that they end up with great stats. Scholes is a great player, but opposing teams are making him look better than he is.

[wee_insomniac]

Whatever happened to eballs?

[The Nal]

yup, along with the huuuuuggggggeeeeee amount of space some teams have given him.

He could have scored about 15 goals yesterday if he'd bothered to shoot each time he was given all that space.

When teams give a player that much space it's hardly a surprise that they end up with great stats. Scholes is a great player, but opposing teams are making him look better than he is.

[pink_triangle]

I think Arteta has been a great signing, pity he didnt join a top european side 3 years ago. I dont think lescott, Toure or Savic are up to the job personally at centre back. City need to find some better players for next season.

[kaosmark2]

I think Arteta has been a great signing, pity he didnt join a top european side 3 years ago. I dont think lescott, Toure or Savic are up to the job personally at centre back. City need to find some better players for next season.

[kaosmark2]

Ben Arfa is a god.

That is all.

[pink_triangle]

Im amazed that Newcastle have held on with those challenging for a top 4 position, I assumed that as the squad got stretched as the season went on, you would fall away. Arsenal should get 3rd but 4th is up for grabs. I love Ben Arfa, listening to the world football phone in he was considered the best of a generation including benzema and nasri. I think you will do well to keep him for long, in fact I suspect St James Park will be full of footballing vultures as soon as the transfer window opens.

[kaosmark2]

Im amazed that Newcastle have held on with those challenging for a top 4 position, I assumed that as the squad got stretched as the season went on, you would fall away. Arsenal should get 3rd but 4th is up for grabs. I love Ben Arfa, listening to the world football phone in he was considered the best of a generation including benzema and nasri. I think you will do well to keep him for long, in fact I suspect St James Park will be full of footballing vultures as soon as the transfer window opens.

[thetime]

Well the squad is stretched, we've got 8 players out injured atm, although several of those (Lovenkrands, Obertan, Best) wouldn't be much more than squad players. Thing is, we didn't get to the 2-legged stage of the league cup, we didn't have any sort of FA cup run, so we've not had too many games, probably under a 45 game season. The fixture list this easter period has been kind to us as well, Fri-Mon as opposed to only 1 day off.

I still don't think we'll get 4th, if Fulham get points off Chelsea today - which is entirely possible - it keeps it open, but I think our inferior goal difference and lack of big team advantages (eg. Chelsea decisions vs Wigan) will mean at least one of the other will finish above us - probably Chelsea on current form. Our final 3 games are bloody difficult as well, Chelsea (A), Man City (H), Everton (A). We'll be lucky to get more than 2 or 3 points from those. Hopefully we can do the job against Stoke and Wigan to leave the chance there though.

I was getting so frustrated with Ben Arfa not playing while Obertan kept being given chances early in the season. Pardew's come out recently and said it was because he wasn't fully match-fit, and I hope that was the reason. He's clearly a special player and we need to try and keep him. I think we're bound to do some selling in the summer, the key thing is not to do too much. If we get £30mn or so combined for 2 of our best players, and our scouts keep doing their job as brilliantly as they have been, then hopefully we'll be in a position to have a proper go at a Europa League run.