Offical English Footy Discussion Thread

[Aardvark747]

Can't begrudge Liverpool the win today, but my are these worrying times at Highbury. Arsene's really going to have to earn his salary, what with must wins vs. Rosenborg and Che£$ki coming up.

Agree with you there son. Having the final C.L group game as a must-win situation, isnt what anyone expected I dont think. I wonder why it is that they cant seem (yet) to dominate the European ties like the Prem?
They have the players - give or take a couple (Cygan/Lehmann)

I reckon they'll still make it through - and then knowing our luck, be drawn against UTD in the next round!

Anyway, for now - BRING ON WEDNESDAY for the Carling Cup clash at Old Trafford, and let's see what all the kids can do!!

 

[Princey]

Of course, its only a matter of time before we see Hull City in the Premiership.

Most rugby people from Hull are Hull FC fans, as they are the bigger of the two rugby teams in our city, although i think Hull KR still have quite a stout following aswell.

 

[boystupidboy]

Stout?thought that was what you northerners drink

 

[Aardvark747]

Of course, its only a matter of time before we see Hull City in the Premiership.

Most rugby people from Hull are Hull FC fans, as they are the bigger of the two rugby teams in our city, although i think Hull KR still have quite a stout following aswell.

Good result against Brentford at the weekend, and you're doing well in League 1...long way to go, but you should make the play-offs no problem.

 

[arsenalfan]

Agree with you there son. Having the final C.L group game as a must-win situation, isnt what anyone expected I dont think. I wonder why it is that they cant seem (yet) to dominate the European ties like the Prem?
They have the players - give or take a couple (Cygan/Lehmann)

I reckon they'll still make it through - and then knowing our luck, be drawn against UTD in the next round!

Anyway, for now - BRING ON WEDNESDAY for the Carling Cup clash at Old Trafford, and let's see what all the kids can do!!

Wednesday should be interesting. The Arsenal kids have being doing alright I must say. Much better than the first team in fact!

As for the CL, no Arsenal fan I know can get their head around what exactly the problem is.

One thing I have found is that teams are starting to figure out how to shut down Thierry Henry. He's going to have to come up with some new magic to keep his scoring pace up.

 

[Aardvark747]

Totally agree arsenalfan.
Van the Man seems to lovin the CL...scoring all over the place. But only 4 in the league so far this season (only ONE of them from open play).

I think that Arsenal will probably get the better of us in the Carling Cup - some of those kids look fuckin amazin!

 

[Sweet Tart]

YAY CHELSEA!!!!!! 4-0

JT IS AMAZING!!! 2 goals for our captain sol and rio better be watching their backs cause they may end up on the bench for the game against holland.

was so surpised and extremely happy when liverpool won in the dying seconds of the game. it put a smile on my face first thing this morning.

actually watched the man utd game on saturday cause my stupid sports channel here again didn't play the chelsea game. scholes was excellent. i have to give credit where credit is due...even though i hate to give any manure player anything.

 

[Aardvark747]

Sweet Tart - Cheers for the Praise!

Just wanted to make a quick comment on El-Hadji Diouf and his baltent spitting incident. This guy has done it before, to fans aswell as players - he's not even a very good player to be fair, so with the new F.A Chief Exec. in place this week - his first task should be the kicking-out of this lout.

 

[Princey]

El-Hadji Diouf...I can't get over the fact Liverpool actually paid £10M for his services just a few seasons ago...

 

[Aardvark747]

I know - what has he actually done, for ANY team?!

 

[Aardvark747]

Morning all!



So Freddy Shephard of Newcastle reckons that UTD lost out big time with their sale of Becks last year then?
"They're like a ship without a sail" apparently.

Just remind me where we are in the league, compared to the Magpies?

Beckham, as we know, was sold mainly due to his falling out with Sir Alex, and inability to work with him anymore.
But I wouldnt say that we have lost out AT ALL with the sale of Beckham. His form since he left to sunnier pastures, has hardly been 100% now has it. Or even 65%!
His long-term replacement - Cristiano Ronaldo had a slow start last season, playing a relativly small number of games as he tried to settle in - ending with a Man of the Match performence, in the total domination of Millwall in the F.A Cup final.
And he has continued this season, with some starring displays, and I for one, would take a possible 10-15yr career at UTD from Ronaldo, over a fading, burnt-out 3-4yr Beckham.

He was never as good as people made out anyway. Jimmy Hill has always been right about that(!)
He's someone who made a huge fortune from being a Marketable product, married to a member of one of the most succesful girl groups of all time (god alone knows how, but still) and playing for, arguably, the most famous team in the world.
And in return for that, all he had to do was to score a few free-kicks every now and then.

He left UTD just at the right time....for UTD that is.

 

[tarquinsuperb]

I don't get this Beckham bashing from United, I am not a big fan, the man is an arsehole and it is a discrace that anyone would even consider him worthy of being England Captain; however the fact remains that the greatest moment of Sir Alex's career came because of the right foot of David Beckham, he was the only reason they won in 1999 they were dead and buried before those corners.

 

[Aardvark747]

I don't get this Beckham bashing from United, I am not a big fan, the man is an arsehole and it is a discrace that anyone would even consider him worthy of being England Captain; however the fact remains that the greatest moment of Sir Alex's career came because of the right foot of David Beckham, he was the only reason they won in 1999 they were dead and buried before those corners.

I can take your point....I just prefer to think of Teddy and Ole scoring them!

Ah...the memories.........

 

[Sweet Tart]

i don't get why there is all this fuss over c. ronaldo. i know he's only young and will most probably come good in the next few years but so far i have been less than impressed by him this season. he seems to try to be too fancy, do too much and ends up losing the ball, falling over himself or the closest defender or shooting it well wide of the goal.

i can definately see the potential but he's just not there yet for me.

 

[Aardvark747]

I just hope Ronaldo starts to practice his Corners and Free-Kicks in training - cos he's piss-poor at that right now!!

Chelsea through to the C.Cup semi's, as are Watford!! Poor old Pompey
Bring on the Battle Of The Buffet 2 tonight!! Nah just kidding. I can see Arsenals kids pissing all over UTD's...they're far more talented

 

[Dutch Partygirl]

I'm not English, but I did go to a couple of games when I lived in England. I went to a Crystal Palace game (can't remember against who, it was in the First Division), Southampton - Manchester United (because I was living in Southampton) and Manchester United - Sturm Graz (because I wanted to see Old Trafford).

I did enjoy it. And may I add: Van Nistelrooy is cool! He should make more goals with the Dutch team instead of with Man U...

 

[tarquinsuperb]

i don't get why there is all this fuss over c. ronaldo.

I hereby appoint myself chief United hater but I have to say Ronaldo looks amazing, I've never seen anyone who can cross the ball like him without taking a touch. I don't know how disappointing he's been a lot of the time he's looked United's only dangerous player especially from midfield. Mind you someone now seems to have jogged Scholes' memory and told him you put the ball in the upright rectangle at the end of the pitch. Give Ronaldo a break he might be bloody ugly and a dirty cheat but he's one of the best players in the Prem. He's also been to Euro 2004 as well as the Olympics.
Mind you he doesn't look anywhere near as good as the mighty Robben.

 

[Aardvark747]

I'm not English, but I did go to a couple of games when I lived in England. I went to a Crystal Palace game (can't remember against who, it was in the First Division), Southampton - Manchester United (because I was living in Southampton) and Manchester United - Sturm Graz (because I wanted to see Old Trafford).

I did enjoy it. And may I add: Van Nistelrooy is cool! He should make more goals with the Dutch team instead of with Man U...

It wasnt the Southampton v UTD when they beat us 6-3 was it....

 

[Aardvark747]

Mind you he doesn't look anywhere near as good as the mighty Robben.

I have to agree there.....sadly

 

[Party Boy]

Hey! A footie thread on a U2 board... perfect!!

Am a massive Arsenal fan.. have been for about god... since 1979 when most of the team was Irish (am from Ireland originally but now living in London).

As for current form.. man.. its frustrating... I think big problem is that Wenger stickts to the same group of first team players (pool of about 15) so that eventually they get knackered or are slightly off-form. At moment, Pires, Reyes, Toure, Viera, Henry (to a lesser extent) and Bergkamp are not playing well. On top of the injuries to Edu and Gilberto (although he has his knockers, since he has been injured, our form has dipped massively), Fabregas is only 17 and is clearly knackered - all factors affecting our form. On positive side, having Campbell back, and seeing Freddie approach his form of a few years ago is great. Wish wenger would put his trust in some of the fringe players like pennant, Van Persie and some of the reserves who will play against Man U tonight. They have proved they are good enough as they beat Everton first team 3-1 in previous round!

 

[Party Boy]

btw, Chelsea are looking unstoppable.. have a defence that does not look like conceding and having 2 wingers (Duff and Robben) who could wriggle out of a sardine can makes a huge difference to a team

 

[Aardvark747]

Yo Party Boy!

I think Wenger is like ly to stick by the youngsters for the game tonight. Im a UTD fan btw (I can hear the jeers from you now!) but I still think the Arsenal kids will get the better of the boys in Red tonight.
But we have a chance, given we're probably gonna have a bunch, who, although dont have much top-flight action right now, have had enough to know how to handle the big games.
Im thinking of Howard/P.Neville/O'Shea/Brown/Fortune/Kleberson/Richardson/Fletcher/Eagles and David Bellion.
That's a lot of experience there, compared to a lot of Arsenal's team.
But Owusu-Abeyie(?)/Pennant/Van Persie/Clichy and Flamini have all impressed me so far! So who knows?

Man to watch (if he starts) is the young Forward Rossi. Who signed for UTD from Parma in the summer. Ive read some great things about him in the club mag and on the UTD tv Channel.

Sadly tho, my prediction is gonna be, 1-3 to the visitors - but Chelsea will win the cup!

 

[arsenalfan]

You know, I really don't care about the Worthless Cup, but it is a good chance to see the youngsters on a big stage.

 

[Party Boy]

Just watched the game.. besides the cock-up after 18.6 seconds, there wasn't much between the sides, although both sides didn't create too much. Considering Man U. had a lot more experience in terms of first team games (Miller, Brown, O'Shea, Neville, Kleberson, Djemba x 2, Bellion, Fortune, Howard have all played more than any other Arsenal player on show tonight), I think Arsenal did pretty well, maybe besides Clichy, who, imho, is brilliant and should be playing on left side of midfield. Really really good player.

Still, you guys got Chelsea in semi's.. unless Ferguson plays a few more first teamers, there is only going to be one winner.

Btw, boo's to all Man U fans... meant as a mutual respect (but I can't get myself to say it!!)

 

[Aardvark747]

It wasnt a great game at all last night. The goal was about the most exciting thing. Tim Howard made a couple of mistakes in the first half, that could've cost us dear, but thankfully didnt. Didnt like what Van Persie did to Richardson in the early stages of the 2nd half....no need really.
Arsenal certainly had the better of the us in the latter period of the game - but Chelsea next, and you're right Party Boy, UTD are gonna have to field a few regulars in the side if they want a result, cos Jose's taking this competition seriously.

 

[Party Boy]

Actually Jose doesn't have any choice but to take it seriously! He has so many players, putting out a reserve side would beat 95% of premier league. To put out players like Arsenal did last night, they would need to put out 3rd or 4th team.

As for Van persie, think frustration got better of him. Not a great moment for him. Think Ferguson should keep his mouth shut tho regarding asking FA to have look at incident. Talk about puttin oil on fire!!

 

[Aardvark747]

I know I know....Fergie should just be pleased that we won, and leave it at that.

But we know what he's like

 

[Aardvark747]

But still......2/2 WINS AGAINST THE GUNNERS!!

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Royle is the Manager of the Month.

That means we'll lose 8-0 at Crewe this weekend.

Oh joy.

 

[Aardvark747]

Crewe could never score that many....dont worry!