football: the beautiful game

[its swanny]

UNITED!

[moondog]

fuck man u..

go

slovana bratislava

viking fc

celtic.

[LaiShin]

^zzzactly...They're continuing their one-goal run. O well, Roma should have played better than that. David Pizarro was just absolutely rubbish.

[moondog]

dont get me wrong they are a GOOD team, but i dont like the club or its fans.

[polishmike]

Fuck Fuck Fuck!!! I can't believe Liverpool lost. We were outplayed by an average French side, at home!!! I'm out to the boozer

[LaiShin]

Liverpool's rotation system has gotta go. Simple as

[polishmike]

Liverpool's rotation system has gotta go. Simple as

Not as far as dropping it but Rafa has to start playing the best team in important matches. I don't mind if he rotates few players but today Kuyt, Mascherano and Riise should've started.

[beast]

Not as far as dropping it but Rafa has to start playing the best team in important matches. I don't mind if he rotates few players but today Kuyt, Mascherano and Riise should've started.

Well, I reckon Marseille is not important enough. Same for Birmingham. This weekend against Spurs? Benitez may not deem it important enough given Spurs bad run of form. But looking at it, I am sure they will qualify for the knockout stages.

I can understand Rafa's logic in rotation. If you have 2 or more players for the same position, they have to keep playing to ensure happiness and avoid burnt out. Look at Chelsea. After a few seasons, all the first 11 look jaded in the latter stages of the campaign and everyone in the second team including even Cudicini wanted to leave.

[LaiShin]

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/celtic+milan/video/x34j1d_celtic-milan-dida_sport

Dida making a fool of himself.

[fatchino]

My god Liverpool were bad the other night. All Rafa's basic logic of hard work = results went out the window. Expect Liverpool to be functional without too much style but that was the worst I've seen them play in a while.

When they played in the European Cup Final last year Rafa got his tactics spot on ... they had a weaker squad at their disposable at the time and saw that Milan were much the more creative side, so Rafa pressed them high up the pitch, forcing mistakes and creating chance ... Liverpool deserved to win that game on the night (to the shame of critics like myself) but last night everything thats good about Liverpool's play was absent.

Personally I don't think Crouch should be in a team challenging for the title. I don't care how many awkard bicycle kicks the man scores. A striker approaching the upper reaches of 6 foot who can't head, doesn't have the strength to hold up the ball and has the position sense of a, well something with very very poor positional sense doesn't warrant a place in that team. He doesn't even put in the work of a Kuyt or a Vorinin.

[beast]

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/celtic+milan/video/x34j1d_celtic-milan-dida_sport

Dida making a fool of himself.

I dont understand why Dida did that. Maybe he was thinking of 3 years back when he was hit by some firecracker at San Siro, the match was stopped and then AC won based on the existing score? But AC was losing against Celtic then, werent they?

[beast]

My god Liverpool were bad the other night. All Rafa's basic logic of hard work = results went out the window. Expect Liverpool to be functional without too much style but that was the worst I've seen them play in a while.

When they played in the European Cup Final last year Rafa got his tactics spot on ... they had a weaker squad at their disposable at the time and saw that Milan were much the more creative side, so Rafa pressed them high up the pitch, forcing mistakes and creating chance ... Liverpool deserved to win that game on the night (to the shame of critics like myself) but last night everything thats good about Liverpool's play was absent.

Personally I don't think Crouch should be in a team challenging for the title. I don't care how many awkard bicycle kicks the man scores. A striker approaching the upper reaches of 6 foot who can't head, doesn't have the strength to hold up the ball and has the position sense of a, well something with very very poor positional sense doesn't warrant a place in that team. He doesn't even put in the work of a Kuyt or a Vorinin.

Last season, they dominated AC in the finals. I wouldn't say they were necessary weaker than AC since AC have many ageing players who could not run as long as Liverpool but by all accounts, except for shots at goal, I would say they were better especially first half.

Kuyt and Torres should be the automatic first choice strikers. Crouch is not good enough to be in the England squad even.

[LaiShin]

It was more or less a lame attempt at trying to get Celtic or the fan punished. The latter did happen...fan was banned for life in Celtic's home and away fixtures.

Notice how the fan barely touched him. But he dropped as if he had been shot 2 seconds later, after an attempt to give chase. Needless to say, Dida was also extremely poor that day; including playacting as part of his 90 mins didn't help.

[beast]

It was more or less a lame attempt at trying to get Celtic or the fan punished. The latter did happen...fan was banned for life in Celtic's home and away fixtures.

Notice how the fan barely touched him. But he dropped as if he had been shot 2 seconds later, after an attempt to give chase. Needless to say, Dida was also extremely poor that day; including playacting as part of his 90 mins didn't help.

No point in banning a fan for life. Dida must have been out to get Celtic punished. A fine is nothing to Celtic. Being penalised as in docking points will do but is that possible in this group stages? I think not.

True on your second para. The fan actually touched Dida as an afterthought.

[RobbertJan]

dida was roommate of rivaldo during wc2002 that's why

[beast]

Damn! Spurs crashing to Liverpool in extra time is just so damn sad. If Spurs won, it would have been a famous victory in Anfield which Liverpool only lost in EPL once to a solitary Man U goal last season. This would have cemented Spurs' credentials as worthy challengers to a top 4 position.

Instead, Torres butted the goal in behind 2 Spurs players no less. But this was not as bad as Roy Carroll's pushing Robinson's goal which passed the goal line in Old Trafford.

Jol can only blame himself. Last season, Spurs lost valuable points in conceding late late goals. Until now, they still cant solve their defensive problems. You cant blame it on Ledley King's absence. Guess this would mean Jol should leave sooner than later.

[plongin]

maybe i'm abit old fashioned. but if you are a team concentrating on breaking into the top four of the epl, you gotta do it with a concrete squad of 15-17 players. not 25 like spurs. He bought a whole bunch of players at the start of last season, they took half a season to get their act together, and they were solid towards the end of last season. and then he decided to go on another spending spree and bought more players, why fix it if it ain't broke? there's no point having such a big squad if you're not challenging on 4 fronts like the big 4 are.

arsenal went through half a season of transition last term, barely bought new faces over the summer and now they're killing it. spurs should've done the same.

[beast]

maybe i'm abit old fashioned. but if you are a team concentrating on breaking into the top four of the epl, you gotta do it with a concrete squad of 15-17 players. not 25 like spurs. He bought a whole bunch of players at the start of last season, they took half a season to get their act together, and they were solid towards the end of last season. and then he decided to go on another spending spree and bought more players, why fix it if it ain't broke? there's no point having such a big squad if you're not challenging on 4 fronts like the big 4 are.

arsenal went through half a season of transition last term, barely bought new faces over the summer and now they're killing it. spurs should've done the same.

If Spurs can afford it, I dont see anything wrong with a large squad. Spurs have big aspirations and they can play in BPL, Carling, UEFA and FA Cup.

Spurs was unlucky or not good enough in losing 4th place to Arsenal 2 seasons ago. I was rooting for them to do so. Since then, last season, they werent even close. Jol has always come lacking against the top 4 other than beating Chelsea 2-1 in White Hart Lane last season and drawing against Chelsea at the Bridge in FA Cup. The former achievement was more impressive since Chelsea was not decimated by injuries then.

VIlla have a small squad which they will suffer once injuries kick in. Now the question is why didnt Jol shore up his defence? Instead he bought Bent for 16 million pounds.

Jo should go. If Spurs can find a suitable replacement, you bet he would be fired. That is not surprising when Spurs look around and see how good Man City, Newcastle, Villa and even Portsmouth are doing.

[Skeese]

Anyone got the new Man Utd away kit?

[Caps Lock]

Sorry to be a bit off topic, anybody play any leauges on sufu? I'm currently playing on a sunday leauge. Lots of fun.

[polishmike]

Not this season but I did for almost my whole life. Which league do you play in and on what team? I used to play in nyc.

[plongin]

not in a sundy league cause im still in school, and we have recreational soccer once a week, and social soccer matches fortnightly against organizations and mncs, to mingle with our "future potential employers".

If Spurs can afford it, I dont see anything wrong with a large squad. Spurs have big aspirations and they can play in BPL, Carling, UEFA and FA Cup.

VIlla have a small squad which they will suffer once injuries kick in. Now the question is why didnt Jol shore up his defence? Instead he bought Bent for 16 million pounds.

doesn't matter if they can afford it or not. there's not point having so many players when you can conjure up a more or less fixed starting 11 who will give you a stable performance week in week out, who will improve as a unit. big aspirations count for nothing if you can't even put decent performances together to win ONE competition (they don't even come close in ANY of the 4).

i agree that he should've bought a defender though. bent was an absolutely useless buy. then again i don't think it was really his decision to buy bent.

[beast]

not in a sundy league cause im still in school, and we have recreational soccer once a week, and social soccer matches fortnightly against organizations and mncs, to mingle with our "future potential employers".

doesn't matter if they can afford it or not. there's not point having so many players when you can conjure up a more or less fixed starting 11 who will give you a stable performance week in week out, who will improve as a unit. big aspirations count for nothing if you can't even put decent performances together to win ONE competition (they don't even come close in ANY of the 4).

i agree that he should've bought a defender though. bent was an absolutely useless buy. then again i don't think it was really his decision to buy bent.

Well, many of the big four have large squads who loaned out their players.

There will be always be the problem of rotation and keeping everyone happy with a big squad but that would avoid injuries and exhaustion inherent in the latter part of the campaign.

With the mixtures of big name and coveted players, everyone expect Spurs to do much much better. So what is the problem? It must be Jol then. The way things are going, 5th spot may even be snapped up by Man City, Rovers, Everton. What then is Jol going to do about it?

[fatchino]

So what is the problem? It must be Jol then. The way things are going, 5th spot may even be snapped up by Man City, Rovers, Everton. What then is Jol going to do about it?

Fifth place has to be City's ... maybe we (newcastle) or Blackbrun can push 'em but don't see Everton being there.

They had a total of one shot on target at St. James on the weekend; but they managed to score two - nice 200% ratio they got going on there.

Don't think they have enough creative players in the midfield area and it'll probably take a while before Yakubu and Johnson bed in together. If they lose Arteta at all could see the chances they create in matches dry up even more - although Pienaar could turn out to be a smashing signing. Back to midtable with them ... that's (unforunately) the place for "the team of the people" isn't it?

Emre came good on the weekend ... Keano's in some form too; Spurs'll be pushing after Xmas; can't see them ditching Robinson until Jol's made leave though.

[LaiShin]

Well, many of the big four have large squads who loaned out their players.

There will be always be the problem of rotation and keeping everyone happy with a big squad but that would avoid injuries and exhaustion inherent in the latter part of the campaign.

With the mixtures of big name and coveted players, everyone expect Spurs to do much much better. So what is the problem? It must be Jol then. The way things are going, 5th spot may even be snapped up by Man City, Rovers, Everton. What then is Jol going to do about it?

A big squad definitely is a major plus for a team pushing for a top 4. But Spurs is being ambitious with the wrong squad. Other than their obvious defensive woes, their midfield is absolute horrid. The whole midfield needs to be scrapped, cept for Lennon. They need a left winger, someone to replace Carrick at the very least.

[123ok]

yeah.. i am not going to say anything about spurs players as individuals but its necessary to have a large squad of players if you are aiming for the top because injuries and suspenions will put key players on the side from time to time. and your backup players need/should have the same format as the ones they are replacing. this is for playing in the top..

[beast]

A big squad definitely is a major plus for a team pushing for a top 4. But Spurs is being ambitious with the wrong squad. Other than their obvious defensive woes, their midfield is absolute horrid. The whole midfield needs to be scrapped, cept for Lennon. They need a left winger, someone to replace Carrick at the very least.

Well, at least Bale and Huddlestone shows promise.

There was talk of giving Carrick back in exchange for Berbatov since Ferguson finally got Hargreaves which he wanted all along. But thats just talk I think.

[beast]

Fifth place has to be City's ... maybe we (newcastle) or Blackbrun can push 'em but don't see Everton being there.

They had a total of one shot on target at St. James on the weekend; but they managed to score two - nice 200% ratio they got going on there.

Don't think they have enough creative players in the midfield area and it'll probably take a while before Yakubu and Johnson bed in together. If they lose Arteta at all could see the chances they create in matches dry up even more - although Pienaar could turn out to be a smashing signing. Back to midtable with them ... that's (unforunately) the place for "the team of the people" isn't it?

Emre came good on the weekend ... Keano's in some form too; Spurs'll be pushing after Xmas; can't see them ditching Robinson until Jol's made leave though.

Hey, I like Man City too.

They are like the poor man's Arsenal. They just need a 20 goals a season striker. Dont know why Sven spent on Bianchi and bench him instead of the woeful Mpenza. Hopefully this season, other teams cant suss them out and they would end up good. But Blackburn have shown the problems with many foreign players in a team adapting to the BPL.

Yakubu though one of BPL's all time best striker has a reputation for being lazy. Everton needs Arteta and Cahill. Next weeks derby vs Liverpool should be real interesting. An essentially the same Everton vs a new look revamped Liverpool.

As for Newcastle, looked promising but starting to show their old flaws under Souness and Roeder ie. bad bad defence. At least they got rid of Bramble and Boumsong!

[beast]

With so many teams playing very poorly, you must be very screwed up to be relegated. Who knows? This may even result in a top team finally getting the mythical 100 points.

Let's see who is relegation fodder:

Derby, Sunderland for sure.

Birmingham City - Maybe if their takeover flops.

Throw in Bolton which is still plain awful under Lee. No way if they were under Allardyce would they end up like this.

Even Wigan and Reading who are flirting with relegation.

Dont think Fulham with Sanchez will end up there and definitely not Spurs despite their bad form of late.

[LaiShin]

Well, at least Bale and Huddlestone shows promise.

There was talk of giving Carrick back in exchange for Berbatov since Ferguson finally got Hargreaves which he wanted all along. But thats just talk I think.

I'm a big Berbatov fan. It'll be great if that happens