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Source: (consider it) Thread: The Football Thread 2013
Sioni Sais
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# 5713

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quote:
Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
Moyes it is. Well, Man Utd fans, wherever you are, fasten your seat-belts, it's gonna be a fucking bumpy ride.

It'll be smoother than post-Busby, because the side isn't ageing as then. From 1969 to 1981 United had Wilf McGuinness, Busby again, Frank O'Farrell, Tommy Docherty and Dave Sexton before Ron Atkinson was appointed manager in 1981.

On that basis you need to be the manager at M.U. after the manager * 4 after Moyes. Alternatively you could be a cool, balanced, capable manager in the first place.

So long as Everton don't appoint any ex-players as manager after Moyes replace (especially Mark Hughes) I won't complain. Moyes has done us well for ten years; a lesser man would have taken a lesser job five years ago.

When he gets to Old Trafford I reckon he'll sell Rooney (Chelsea? Nah, PSG) and bring Fellaini in. You read it here first!

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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I have a hunch that Baines might go to Old Trafford as well. Could be the beginning of some rather hard times for Everton.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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Sir Kevin
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# 3492

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Bloody Hell! A complete waste of time!

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Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Okay then.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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quetzalcoatl
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quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
quote:
Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
Moyes it is. Well, Man Utd fans, wherever you are, fasten your seat-belts, it's gonna be a fucking bumpy ride.

It'll be smoother than post-Busby, because the side isn't ageing as then. From 1969 to 1981 United had Wilf McGuinness, Busby again, Frank O'Farrell, Tommy Docherty and Dave Sexton before Ron Atkinson was appointed manager in 1981.

On that basis you need to be the manager at M.U. after the manager * 4 after Moyes. Alternatively you could be a cool, balanced, capable manager in the first place.

So long as Everton don't appoint any ex-players as manager after Moyes replace (especially Mark Hughes) I won't complain. Moyes has done us well for ten years; a lesser man would have taken a lesser job five years ago.

When he gets to Old Trafford I reckon he'll sell Rooney (Chelsea? Nah, PSG) and bring Fellaini in. You read it here first!

Good grief, all those horrible memories came flooding back, including relegation in 74. The Doc was OK though, quite a character. Yes, footie was v. different then.

The Man U blogs are fantasizing over Ronnie, Baines and Fellaini coming in. Maybe one of them, I think. Happy Days, or maybe not.

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South Coast Kevin
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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
I have a hunch that Baines might go to Old Trafford as well. Could be the beginning of some rather hard times for Everton.

Baines to Man U would make them a much better team, IMO. And to think they've won the Premier League at a trot ('at a canter' is such a cliche [Big Grin] ) this season. Yikes...

I think you might be right about Everton struggling to cope in the post-Moyes world. There's talk of Michael Laudrup leaving Swansea, which I think could be a good move for Everton, but why would Laudrup make that move? He might fancy Swansea to really kick on from their success over the last couple of seasons.

My tip for Everton, as soon as Fergie's retirement was confirmed, was Roberto Martinez. If Wigan go down I don't think Martinez will be keen to stay, and I reckon a team of Everton's stature is the best he could hope for (despite what the Wigan chairman has been saying about Martinez waiting for a top job). I think Martinez has done wonders to keep a little* team like Wigan in the Premier League and you never hear a bad word about him. It'd be great to see him have a go at managing a pretty big club, I think.

*Little team in terms of their catchment area, I mean. Wigan is just a few miles from both Manchester and Liverpool, so to say they're competing with the big boys in terms of attracting fans is something of an understatement...

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Not just that, Kevin: Wigan is a rugby town, so they're competing with the team that shares their stadium!

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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rolyn
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I don't watch much football these days yet often end up watching the FA Cup Final .
Just sitting there thinking here we go "nil nil" with the possibility of penalties then BANG in goes the 90th minute winner for Wigan . Only just said to the missis you don't see goals scored off corner kicks like you used to .

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Imaginary Friend

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It was a quality header, wasn't it?! And congratulations to Wigan: They were the better team on the day and deserved winners. I reckon this will be the confidence boost they need to stay up now.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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South Coast Kevin
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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Not just that, Kevin: Wigan is a rugby town, so they're competing with the team that shares their stadium!

Absolutely, IF; I forgot about that! And, like you, I really hope Wigan stay up in the Premier League (as long as they don't send Southampton down...)

Ah, I love Roberto Martinez. He's such a gent and gets his team playing good, clean football. Dear Lord Jesus, please let Wigan survive and send Stoke City down instead, as their thuggish football is a disgrace to the game.

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Imaginary Friend

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I wouldn't be sorry to see Stoke go. But I reckon it's Norwich and Sunderland that need to be most worried. It's plausible that neither of them will score another point, so if Wigan get something out of Arsenal and beat Villa next weekend then they'll be in trouble.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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Sioni Sais
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Oh dear, that last relegation place is as tight as ever.

Wigan will overtake Norwich or Newcastle if both get no more points and Wigan win one and lose one while improving their goal difference (Wigan need a win and more to put Sunderland, Southampton, Fulham, Villa or Stoke in any danger (plus the right results from Norwich and Newcastle), so it is unlikely that any of them will go down). Norwich and Newcastle play West Brom and QPR tomorrow, so they will be hoping to win those, and if both do then Wigan have to win at Arsenal on Tuesday as well as beating Aston Villa next Sunday, then they might stay up on goal difference! There, I said it was tight.

In short, there are more ways in which things can go pear-shaped for Wigan, so they still look favourites for the drop. Then again Man City looked favourites for the Cup.

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Og: Thread Killer
Ship's token CN Mennonite
# 3200

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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
I still think it's fundamentally wrong. Wales has its own association. They play as a separate nation in international competition. They should have their own league as well.

Fundamentally wrong because you are used to a certain system.

As a supporter of a club in a country that has tried more then once to do a national league, and failed, I would suggest that economic and physical, in Canada's case, reality are a bit more important then keeping a complete separation.

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LeRoc

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Yes! We finished 7th! This qualified us for play-offs against Twente, Heerenveen and Utrecht for the second eliminition round of the UEFA League. The first game will be on Thursday against Twente. That won't be easy.

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South Coast Kevin
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Congrats to your team, LeRoc! I'm listening to the English Premier League commentary on the radio - my team, Southampton, have just scored a very, very important equaliser against Sunderland.

Wigan are still favourites to go down, but my lot really could do with not losing today. I am proper nervous...

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Sioni Sais
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# 5713

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Looks like Wigan are doomed. My reckoning is that if Sunderland lose their last game Wigan can stay up merely by taking four points from their last two games and improving their goal difference over Sunderland by 11, or winning both games, in which case Southampton, Fulham, Villa or Sunderland might go down (Villa play Wigan next week, so one or the other of them will remain behind Norwich, Newcastle and (spit) Stoke, making them safe).

In other news, Everton gave David Moyes a fine send-off, beating a pretty ordinary West Ham 2-0. Good on you David, you've done one heck of a job. Don't go being too successful and we'll be after beating you next year!

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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"

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South Coast Kevin
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I think Southampton are all but safe - for Wigan to overtake us, they'd have to beat Arsenal and Aston Villa, which would keep Villa below Southampton unless there's a 11-goal swing in Villa's favour. Meaning that Stoke (spit) would have to beat Southampton by at least 12 goals. I think I can rest easy. [Smile]

Shame that Wigan are indeed looking doomed, mind you.

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Mark Betts

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# 17074

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Yes!! Get-tin!! [Big Grin] Norwich are finally safe!

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"We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary."

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LeRoc

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And my team in Brazil, Santa Cruz, has become the champion of Pernambuco State today!! I guess it's a good day.

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quetzalcoatl
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And Oldham have escaped relegation! Come on, you cloggers.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Palace beat Brighton to reserve the second place in the Championship Playoff Final.

And you guys had better be impressed with how quiet I'm being about a certain Chelsea midfielder who passed a rather significant goalscoring milestone this weekend. [Big Grin]

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713

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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Palace beat Brighton to reserve the second place in the Championship Playoff Final.

I can't help thinking the Championship Playoff Final is a playoff for the twentieith place in next year's Premier League.
quote:


And you guys had better be impressed with how quiet I'm being about a certain Chelsea midfielder who passed a rather significant goalscoring milestone this weekend. [Big Grin]

Just as well that he's been scoring since Drogba and Sturridge left. Got to give the guy credit for two hundred + from midfield though.

nb: eldest son insists I mention that Norwich won the FA Youth Cup!. Take a look at previous winners.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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I watched quite a lot of Chelsea's youngsters in that competition. It would be sour grapes for me to be too down on Norwich, but let's just say that efficiency and organization beat flair and skill on this occasion. (Much like Chelsea did to Barca and Bayern last year!)

And by the way, Danny never scored many for Chelsea. There were a few different reasons for that, but I'm not sorry to see him gone. He's well and truly drunk the Anfield Kool Aid though, which is very amusing.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Sorry to double post...

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I can't help thinking the Championship Playoff Final is a playoff for the twentieith place in next year's Premier League.

I suspect you're right. The one possible scenario that may avoid this is if Watford win, and their Italian owners decide to spend some money and they do it in a sensible way. They could, just possibly, do what Southampton did this season.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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Sir Kevin
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# 3492

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Back in fourth now: got my colleague, the rabid Arseholes supporter to shut up. He doesn't even know who he will face later this month. I trust Spurs can defeat Sunderland! He does hope Arsene Wenger will retire soon....

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If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Europa League final in Amsterdam today. Up the Chels!

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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ken
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# 2460

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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Sorry to double post...

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I can't help thinking the Championship Playoff Final is a playoff for the twentieith place in next year's Premier League.

I suspect you're right. The one possible scenario that may avoid this is if Watford win, and their Italian owners decide to spend some money and they do it in a sensible way. They could, just possibly, do what Southampton did this season.
I doubt if either Watford or Brighton will be able to spend anywhere near what QPR did, and look what happend to them. But Swansea did all right. And they had less money behind them at promotion than QPR. Or than Leicester who didn't get promoted last year or the year before either.

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Ken

L’amor che move il sole e l’altre stelle.

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EtymologicalEvangelical
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This article lifts the lid on Roberto Mancini's departure from Man City (I am a City fan, btw). I still can't get my head round the bloke promising Costel Pantilimon goalkeeping duties against Wigan at Wembley after his great run in the cup, only to be ousted by Hart. Sad.

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You can argue with a man who says, 'Rice is unwholesome': but you neither can nor need argue with a man who says, 'Rice is unwholesome, but I'm not saying this is true'. CS Lewis

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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quote:
Originally posted by ken:
I doubt if either Watford or Brighton will be able to spend anywhere near what QPR did, and look what happend to them. But Swansea did all right. And they had less money behind them at promotion than QPR. Or than Leicester who didn't get promoted last year or the year before either.

Have you ever seen 'The Four Year Plan'? It's a behind-the-scenes documentary following the QPR board members up until they win promotion. I know that this was the moment that most of the old board left and Tony Fernandez came in, but there were a few key decision makers who stayed. It's really toe-curling viewing to watch these people who clearly don't have the first idea about football and who want to blame everyone but themselves when things go against them. I'm really not surprised that they spent so ridiculously and achieved nothing with it. In some ways, I wouldn't want to do Watford, Palace, Cardiff, or Hull the disservice of being compared to QPR. (And I don't think that's my West-London bias talking, either.)

And on a lighter note:

"We know what we are,
We know what we are,
DOUBLE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE
We know what we are!"

Oh yes - Chelsea fans have an excuse to be insufferable for yet another season! Get in!!

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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South Coast Kevin
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quote:
Originally posted by EtymologicalEvangelical:
I still can't get my head round the bloke promising Costel Pantilimon goalkeeping duties against Wigan at Wembley after his great run in the cup, only to be ousted by Hart. Sad.

If the reports regarding Pantilimon and Hart are accurate, then it is indeed horrifically bad man-management.
quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
It's really toe-curling viewing to watch these people who clearly don't have the first idea about football and who want to blame everyone but themselves when things go against them.

I've not seen the documentary but maybe it explains where Harry Redknapp got his 'Not my fault, guv' routine from. [Devil]

And well done indeed to Chelsea. Hasn't Benitez done well this season, considering how things were at the club when he took over?

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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How things were when he took over? Excuse me! I'm probably about to jump down your throat a bit, but let's put straight some of the revisionist bullshit that's been circulating for the last few weeks.

When he took over, we were a team in transition, third in the league, four points behind the leaders, and stuttering in Europe. Now, we're a team in transition, third in the league, sixteen points behind the leaders, and just about managing to scrape wins in Europe against teams that we should be battering.

Everything that we've achieved this season has been in spite of that man, not because of him. We are lucky to have such a strong and resilient group of players who can cope not only with the sheer weight of our fixture list, but with the unremitting shit that comes from the dugout. His refusal to show the slightest tactical flexibility, his penchant for rotating players (especially our two strikers) out of form, and his bizarre substitutions have hurt us, not helped us. It really pisses me off that his friends in the Press box are writing such adoring things about him because it's all complete bollocks. With our squad, we should never have been in such a dogfight for third/fourth place. The points dropped against Reading, Southampton, Liverpool, Spurs, and both fixtures against QPR were squarely his fault can all be laid at the door of his clueless 'management'. If he was even a half-decent manager we should have been pushing City for second. Di Matteo would certainly have had us up there. So no, I'm not having it that he deserves credit.

The sooner he pisses off out of our club the better. And good riddance. He was never wanted, he doesn't care about Chelsea, and personally I hope that he never works in football again. Goodness knows he taken enough of our money that he never needs to.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
Brian Clough

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South Coast Kevin
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Wow, easy tiger! [Razz] But fair points. I had in mind the (AIUI) stranglehold that Terry (in particular), Lampard and Cole had on the club. From memory, there were several games during Di Matteo's tenure where those three players (and maybe others too) really didn't give their all for the cause, and weren't there also some less than fully supportive comments from them regarding Di Matteo in the media? Perhaps my dislike of Terry is clouding my judgement and my memory...

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My blog - wondering about Christianity in the 21st century, chess, music, politics and other bits and bobs.

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L'organist
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# 17338

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David Beckham is retiring! [Waterworks]

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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quote:
Originally posted by South Coast Kevin:
I had in mind the (AIUI) stranglehold that Terry (in particular), Lampard and Cole had on the club. From memory, there were several games during Di Matteo's tenure where those three players (and maybe others too) really didn't give their all for the cause, and weren't there also some less than fully supportive comments from them regarding Di Matteo in the media? Perhaps my dislike of Terry is clouding my judgement and my memory...

I believe you're referring to Villas Boas' time at Chelsea. The Old Guard didn't take kindly to AVB trying to clear them out, and if Press reports are to be believed, there was a power struggle in the dressing room. It's rumoured that this is why the club has been so slow to renew Lampard's contract (although, praise be, his one year extension was announced today.)

As far as I'm aware (and I may be wrong), the lads had no problem with Di Matteo (they would have all played together, I think) and under him the dressing room was united and harmonious. But that makes sense, because Robbie bleeds blue. Our shameful treatment of him is one of the many reasons why Benitez comes in for so much flak: there's no possible way that he can measure up to a club legend.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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South Coast Kevin
Shipmate
# 16130

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Sorry, IF, of course I'm referring to AVB not Di Matteo. Doh! Obviously AVB is a young manager (younger than Lampard, right?) but he'd done really well in Portugal and I think he's transforming Spurs in to serious title challengers. Spurs just need a top-notch striker, and they were linked with David Villa today...

Did you read anything about that change AVB introduced to the training regime at Spurs? He'd noticed they gave away lots of goals in the last few minutes of games, so he changed the training sessions from having a gentle kickabout at the end to a more intense activity. And I think in the second half of the season Spurs have been much stingier in the last, ooh, 10-15 minutes of games. That's quality management, IMO.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Oh, AVB will be (is becoming?) a quality manager. From Chelsea's point of view he was the right man at the wrong time.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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Sioni Sais
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WTF is going on at Stoke City? Looks like their off the field behaviour has less class than their football, which is quite something.

If the Premiership newcomers are looking for reinforcements I expect Kenwyne Jones will be available.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Looks like their off the field behaviour has less class than their football, which is quite something.

I dunno. There's a few of their centre halves would make quite classy wing forwards, if you get my drift.

In other news, there is a chance that the mythical 39th game will have to be played between Chelsea and Arsenal to determine who gets third place and automatic qualification for the Champions' League next season. If Chelsea draw with Everton, and Arsenal beat Newcastle by one goal whilst scoring two more than Chelsea do, then both teams will be equal on points, have the same goal difference, and will have scored the same number of goals. For example, this will be the case if results are
Chelsea 0 - 0 Everton,
Newcastle 1 - 2 Arsenal.
Also, 1-1 and 2-3, 2-2 and 3-4 and so on will fulfill these criteria.

The Premier League announced yesterday that if this happens, the playoff will happen at Villa Park (great for two London clubs) on Sunday May 26th. That would be fine, except that Chelsea are scheduled to play two money-making post season friendlies against Man City in St Louis and New York on May 23rd and May 25th respectively. Goodness only knows what will happen to those two games if the playoff has to happen. I have tickets to both of those games, so I'm hoping like crazy that we beat Everton and make all of these considerations academic.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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South Coast Kevin
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# 16130

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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
In other news, there is a chance that the mythical 39th game will have to be played between Chelsea and Arsenal to determine who gets third place and automatic qualification for the Champions' League next season. If Chelsea draw with Everton, and Arsenal beat Newcastle by one goal whilst scoring two more than Chelsea do, then both teams will be equal on points, have the same goal difference, and will have scored the same number of goals.

This would be awesome*. Maybe we should have post-season play-offs for some (or all?) of the top places in the Premier League, like the promotion play-offs in the lower divisions. They've been a fantastic success, haven't they?

*Apart from the effect on those friendlies taking place in the USA, sorry IF... [Frown]

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Oh, I think that would be a terrible idea. Americanization of the English league in one fell swoop!

Actually, the second tier of English rugby has gone to a system a bit like this. They have a shortened regular season, then the league splits into three pools for playoffs. The bottom pool is a relegation playoff. The other two pools form the group stages of the promotion playoffs, with I think semifinals and a final coming from the winners of those two pools*. It really is unnecessarily complicated.


* I may have those details wrong - it's been ages since I last checked.

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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Sioni Sais
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# 5713

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quote:
Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Looks like their off the field behaviour has less class than their football, which is quite something.

I dunno. There's a few of their centre halves would make quite classy wing forwards, if you get my drift.

As a some-time (Rugby) wing forward, and a blind-side one at that I know exactly what you mean. Mayhem'R'Us.

And apropos the Chelsea v Arsenal 39th game scenario why not replace one of those friendlies with a game that matters? The NFL have matches played at Wembley, a stadium is already booked in St Louis and NYC and while it would be an inconvenience to Man City I'm sure they can afford it. Besides, every club in the premiership was aware that this sort of thing could happen when they set-up these money spinners.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Besides, every club in the premiership was aware that this sort of thing could happen when they set-up these money spinners.

This is the bottom line. Someone in the club majorly cocked up arranging this fixture when there was even a remote chance that the playoff would have to be played.

But we'll batter Everton Sunday, so it won't matter. [Biased]

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Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492

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[Disappointed]

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Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Spurs don't much like May 19th, eh Sir Kevin? [Two face]

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Sir Kevin
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# 3492

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Nope!

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If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.

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LeRoc

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# 3216

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I'm watching Brazil x England through the corner of my eye. Not many fireworks yet.

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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)

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LeRoc

Famous Dutch pirate
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... aand Fred scores.

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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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I watched about five minutes of the Brazil v England game before a combination of Real Life™ and boredom persuaded me to do other things. England seemed really woeful. How on earth did they score two goals?

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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LeRoc

Famous Dutch pirate
# 3216

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quote:
Imaginary Friend: England seemed really woeful. How on earth did they score two goals?
Because Brazil was woeful too?

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I know why God made the rhinoceros, it's because He couldn't see the rhinoceros, so He made the rhinoceros to be able to see it. (Clarice Lispector)

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Imaginary Friend

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# 186

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Were they? So the Geezer didn't have a good game?

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"We had a good team on paper. Unfortunately, the game was played on grass."
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