Football 2011-2012

[thetime]

Big summer for us, should determine whether this is a one-off or the start of a genuine challenge to becoming a big team again.

[kaosmark2]

So much better now than it used to be when year on year it was man utd, chelsea, arsenal and liverpool in cl, very competitive. If everton could sort there starts out they would be up there aswel.

Another side not first time ive seen krul this seaon look a bit aprehensive. Is Alan Smith still at newcastle?

[strummer77]

Damn you strummer I was was expecting to get slaughtered by those forgetting mr efestivals words of wisdom.

Good weekend for us strummer?

[Ed209]

.... it should be his last two games. It would be a terrible decision to stick with him. He did well in stabilizing the team during the Hodgson/Hicks/Gillette crisis, but his time's done. Liverpool need someone else to get to the next level.

[Ed209]

odds for next Liverpool manager, Benitez 4-1, Mourinho 9-1, O'Neil 10-1, AVB 10-1, Pep 12-1, Rodgers 12-1, Jorge Jesus 16-1, Capello 16-1

I'm tempted to throw a fiver on Capello with those odds. I think he's more likely than the other shorter priced managers

[Alcatraz]

Sounded like today McLeish thinks he will still be at Villa next season.

I feel sorry for him in a way, Tuesday night (Collins, Delph and Herd all involved in a punchup in the early hours after a night clubbing, what with the threat of relegation ya know) just kind of summed up the attitude of the majority of this squad. I can only imagine how rotten the squad mentality if Ashley Young was still there.

But he is responsible for it because he clearly has no control or respect from them.

What player or manager would want to go to Aston Villa at the moment?

[strummer77]

odds for next Liverpool manager, Benitez 4-1, Mourinho 9-1, O'Neil 10-1, AVB 10-1, Pep 12-1, Rodgers 12-1, Jorge Jesus 16-1, Capello 16-1

I'm tempted to throw a fiver on Capello with those odds. I think he's more likely than the other shorter priced managers

[eFestivals]

Damn you strummer I was was expecting to get slaughtered by those forgetting mr efestivals words of wisdom.

words of wisdom that also said "but it's the only measure we have" and said that the discussion of an alternative and perhaps better way of measuring things was a silly discussion.

And anyhow, no one has won anything yet. I wouldn't be surprised to see City blow it next weekend.

[kaosmark2]

Bye bye Blackburn *waves*

Glad to see them go tbh. Ugly football, fans more focused on abusing their manager than supporting the team. Owners clearly didn't have a clue.

[Ed209]

Fact of the day: If QPR stay up it will be only the second time in 20 years that all 3 promoted teams have survived their first season, the other being 2001-2002 when Blackburn, Fulham and Bolton all managed it.

[kaosmark2]

Fact of the day: If QPR stay up it will be only the second time in 20 years that all 3 promoted teams have survived their first season, the other being 2001-2002 when Blackburn, Fulham and Bolton all managed it.

[Ed209]

Yeah, all 3 going down has happened only once in the premier league era (not sure when though)

I want QPR to stay up (but at the expense of Bolton losing, rather than them beating City - who I want to win the title for my best mate who's a city fan). I like it when the promoted teams survive, I like the fluidity to the league. Those 3 teams have really given it a go, and often with some decent looking football.

[kaosmark2]

I wanted Swansea to survive from the off. Norwich have played attacking football, but it's been scrappy. QPR have been very hit and miss, they've looked good at times, but they've not been particularly inspiring even when at their best. Bolton the same.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as a couple stay up, that's what matters. Entertaining teams staying up matters more to me, so I'm very happy Wigan have stayed, however bad they were in December-February.

I definitely want City to win the league, some variation would be nice, and I'm amused by the idea of Man U not even being the most successful club in their city let alone the world.

[strummer77]

Here's some interesting reading, even if ultimately futile. Don't like the 'real league tables' as such (as decisions change games), but can create some interesting debate.

For example, should United be league champions?! And have us and Arsenal been the most unlucky sides in the league?

http://www.debatable...ions.com/tables

Edited May 7, 2012 by strummer77

[Ed209]

Referees actually do hate Wenger.

[kaosmark2]

Here's some interesting reading, even if ultimately futile. Don't like the 'real league tables' as such (as decisions change games), but can create some interesting debate.

For example, should United be league champions?! And have us and Arsenal been the most unlucky sides in the league?

http://www.debatable...ions.com/tables

[kaosmark2]

Referees actually do hate Wenger.

Edited May 7, 2012 by kaosmark2

[strummer77]

What I really dislike about this one in particular, is that ignores the effects of red cards. For instance if Kompany hadn't been unjustly sent off, he wouldn't have missed 4 games, and most likely, City would have conceded fewer during that period.

[strummer77]

They can't hate him as much as journalists do. When Spurs went on a good run and Arsenal on a bad, all the articles/blogs were about how great Redknapp was and how Wenger's time had come and he was failing. When the reverse happened, nothing.

Edit: He's still far too much of a whiny bastard though.

[kaosmark2]

To be honest, that's why I said the league table bit is faulty. It's quite interesting looking at the decision for/against table though, where Arsenal and us are 11 'big' decisions down...

Obviously not wholly accurate at all, but I didn't think we had been that unlucky...

[strummer77]

Yeah. Seems odd to me as well. Strangest is Stoke +17 goals and 14 points though!

[kaosmark2]

Doesn't surprise me really, Stoke get away with a lot.

[lharris92]

and we're off to wemberleyyyy

[eFestivals]

Congrats to Wigan - fantastic run for them to stay up. And I had a feeling they might do, even when they looked dead and buried about 6 weeks ago - they do it every year.

Not sure if I'm glad to see Blackburn drop. On this season definitely, but they're probably going to disappear into oblivion now and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

[thetime]

Congrats to Wigan - fantastic run for them to stay up. And I had a feeling they might do, even when they looked dead and buried about 6 weeks ago - they do it every year.

Not sure if I'm glad to see Blackburn drop. On this season definitely, but they're probably going to disappear into oblivion now and I'm not sure that's a good thing.