Football 2013-2014

[DomDom1984]

Good news today for all of the parties involved in the red card incident. Ox was cleared, and since Gibbs didn't stop the ball going in the net, he doesn't get suspended either. Marriner will still be refereeing an EPL game at the weekend.

[eFestivals]

He has blind spots that had he not had, Arsenal would have been much improved.

they wouldn't have been improved, but they might have got more points. They're different things.

But it's only a 'might'. The sacrifice of a more skillful player for one with more muscle would effect the game that the other players were able to play, so they don't necessarily win the same number.

He spent £40m on Ozil when they already have a multitude of players in that area, yet didn't spend any money on a holding midfielder. Instead he got Flamini on the cheap.

I don't think you can knock him for Flamani, but I get and agree with your general drift - tho the player most people seem to think he should have spent a lot of money on was a goal-getter and not yet-another midfielder.

But yeah, that's Wenger. He loves his midfielders. Just about every other manager have their quirks too, where what they decide doesn't seem the most logical (why did Moyes buy Mata, for instance? Just as much as with Ozil, he wasn't the player that Utd needed).

Me, I'm hugely happy that he doesn't park the bus and bore the hell out of us all, or play hoof-ball, or all the other less positive ways the game can be played. As a neutral it makes for a fantastic spectacle.

Edited March 25, 2014 by eFestivals

[DomDom1984]

Flamini was a pretty good signing btw.

[kaosmark2]

Good news today for all of the parties involved in the red card incident. Ox was cleared, and since Gibbs didn't stop the ball going in the net, he doesn't get suspended either. Marriner will still be refereeing an EPL game at the weekend.

[DomDom1984]

Aye, big mix up.

Basically the jist of it was it wasn't a goal scoring opportunity, it was mistaken identity, and the ref is cool.

[The Nal]

it was mistaken identity, and the ref is cool.

[The Nal]

[DomDom1984]

Get a feeling many people will have missed this...

...with the score at 2-2 with Arsenal and Swansea, Swansea went on the break about 30 seconds over the allotted injury time. They put a guy clean through on goal, and when he was on his way, the referee blew for full time.

What's the feeling on this? I'd have thought let the attack end, as I always feel that wau, but at the same time, he probably should have stopped the game sooner anyways. I still think it's unfair to Swansea not to let the attack end however. There'll be a shitstorm over this over the next 24 hours probably.

Edited March 25, 2014 by DomDom1984

[DomDom1984]

Arsenal were attacking and that ate up some of the time. I think the referee has meant to blow earlier and hasn't. And so he's blown during the attack instead, which has come across badly.

[kaosmark2]

City just oozed confidence tonight. Even when Man U had periods of possession they looked comfortable. They were so clearly the superior team. It was hilarious.

[thetime]

City just oozed confidence tonight. Even when Man U had periods of possession they looked comfortable. They were so clearly the superior team. It was hilarious.

[DomDom1984]

HUMPAH'D!!!

3-0 to Everton. Cracking wee goal from Barkley early, even if he wasn't getting swarmed with tackles when he was heading for goal.

[kaosmark2]

How did Newcastle get on tonight?

[adam1234]

Get a feeling many people will have missed this...

...with the score at 2-2 with Arsenal and Swansea, Swansea went on the break about 30 seconds over the allotted injury time. They put a guy clean through on goal, and when he was on his way, the referee blew for full time.

What's the feeling on this? I'd have thought let the attack end, as I always feel that wau, but at the same time, he probably should have stopped the game sooner anyways. I still think it's unfair to Swansea not to let the attack end however. There'll be a shitstorm over this over the next 24 hours probably.

[DomDom1984]

See, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt if the referee has just meant to blow earlier. Will be interesting to see if we get an explanation.

[pink_triangle]

...with the score at 2-2 with Arsenal and Swansea, Swansea went on the break about 30 seconds over the allotted injury time. They put a guy clean through on goal, and when he was on his way, the referee blew for full time.

[kaosmark2]

City have the look of champions at the moment, but everytime I have thought that this season, they have taken a step backwards. Demichelis has got a lot of stick this season for individual errors, but I thought he was very good again today. I suspect 7 wins out of 9 should be enough to win the title for City. With 5 relatively nice home games and an away game at palace, I think they should be able to win one of the tougher away games against Liverpool, everton and arsenal.

[eFestivals]

Get a feeling many people will have missed this...

...with the score at 2-2 with Arsenal and Swansea, Swansea went on the break about 30 seconds over the allotted injury time. They put a guy clean through on goal, and when he was on his way, the referee blew for full time.

What's the feeling on this? I'd have thought let the attack end, as I always feel that wau, but at the same time, he probably should have stopped the game sooner anyways. I still think it's unfair to Swansea not to let the attack end however. There'll be a shitstorm over this over the next 24 hours probably.

at a world cup finals 20+ years ago, the ref blew the whistle between a player in the box striking the ball and the ball hitting the back of the net. The goal didn't stand.

The ref should blow when he time is up. What either team might be doing at the time isn't really relevant.

Having said that, a bit of common sense should be worked into things, but it's less common sense to allow time that shouldn't be allowed for someone to score than it would be to blow the whistle.

[eFestivals]

So .... Man Utd are a weak team that can be taken to the cleaners.

But also, it was a change to see Utd playing well last night for the 2nd game in a row, even tho that 'playing well' got to show the type of team they now are - mid-table.

Will be interesting if Liverpool win tonight, cos that pretty much puts Arsenal finishing at 4th (or lower, maybe), with the top 3 fighting it out for the title.

Of those three it's definitely mostly with Chelsea and City, but it's definitely not over for Liverpool just yet. Finishing 2nd is fully within their own hands (tho unlikely; they'd have to beat both Chelsea and City), and as it's probable that all three teams will drop further points, finishing top probably isn't impossible.

I'm not thinking Liverpool are going to do it, but no one was thinking Liverpool would be in with a real chance with just eight games to go either. The fact that it's still all up in the air makes for an exciting end.

[Wooderson]

Only saw the highlights - but were Everton that impressive last night or were the Barcodes that abject? Goals were sensational.

Seems trite to even mention - yet Martinez looks the far better long term prospect than Moyes. Youthful, dynamic footie. Top bloke aswell it seems. Utd done fucked that up bigstyle.

[Wooderson]

Fans giving Baconface some backchat aswell last night.

[eFestivals]

Fans giving Baconface some backchat aswell last night.

the beeb this morning were showing Utd fans saying how dreadful their team is and that Moyes should go.

I'm not sure how typical those opinions might be, but those opinions have now broken thru into the mainstream media after an extraordinary period of media grace, so they're not going to go away unless Utd suddenly turn into a stunning team.

And cos they're not going to suddenly turn into that stunning team, Moyes is a dead man walking.

Easy money from you Nal.

Edited March 26, 2014 by eFestivals

[JoeyT]

My post from Monday about City tearing Utd a new one seems to have been vindicated.

Agree Neil that United put up a slight fight but to me it didn't look like City needed to play to their best so it could be argued that it was City who made them look like they were playing well!

Also Fellaini... what has happened to him? He doesn't like 1/4 the player he was for Everton.

On another note I know Barkley is playing very well and has done most of the season but would people put him in the England starting line up? Interested to know views. Personally I would.

[pink_triangle]

So .... Man Utd are a weak team that can be taken to the cleaners.

But also, it was a change to see Utd playing well last night for the 2nd game in a row, even tho that 'playing well' got to show the type of team they now are - mid-table.

Will be interesting if Liverpool win tonight, cos that pretty much puts Arsenal finishing at 4th (or lower, maybe), with the top 3 fighting it out for the title.

Of those three it's definitely mostly with Chelsea and City, but it's definitely not over for Liverpool just yet. Finishing 2nd is fully within their own hands (tho unlikely; they'd have to beat both Chelsea and City), and as it's probable that all three teams will drop further points, finishing top probably isn't impossible.

I'm not thinking Liverpool are going to do it, but no one was thinking Liverpool would be in with a real chance with just eight games to go either. The fact that it's still all up in the air makes for an exciting end.

[thetime]

I think united did very well last night, getting away with a 3-0 home defeat against the champions isn't to bad....Haha.

If we get away with the same next week to munich I will be more than happy.