football: the beautiful game

[beast]

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

Now Berbatov is being blamed because his languid style gives people the impression he is not trying hard enough. Anyway dont write off Louis Saha. If he can keep fit, he can contribute to Man U and he would be the ideal target man instead of Rooney and Tevez.

[fatchino]

Hope Fulham and team Norn Iron manage to get themselves relegated. Probably in amongst the worst 3 teams for style ... but then again it aint about style its about results. They got rid of Claus Jensen too ... that guy was a genuinely classly footballer; just didn't have the physical attributes to make it in a Sanchez team that plays back to front in under 6 seconds.

Roy Keane's a strange one. He's worshipped by United fans and the media's pretty much in his corner too. He talks so much bullshit. There are too many foreign managers/ owners in the Premiership; footballers listen to their wives too much ... wa wa wa. Considering your an Irish man managing an English club with an Irish owner, please explain. His buys have been disconcerting too. 10s of millions spent on Championship players; even brought one in from the Eircom League over here. I read some statistic earlier this season (can't remember the exact figures) that so many of his signings have been ex-teammates either from United, Celtic or from the ROI set up ... interesting that.

Speedy City for the top 6 anyway ... City are a massive club.

[polishmike]

Speedy City for the top 6 anyway ... City are a massive club.

This one made me laugh. Massive clubs sell out their games.

[beast]

Hope Fulham and team Norn Iron manage to get themselves relegated. Probably in amongst the worst 3 teams for style ... but then again it aint about style its about results. They got rid of Claus Jensen too ... that guy was a genuinely classly footballer; just didn't have the physical attributes to make it in a Sanchez team that plays back to front in under 6 seconds.

Roy Keane's a strange one. He's worshipped by United fans and the media's pretty much in his corner too. He talks so much bullshit. There are too many foreign managers/ owners in the Premiership; footballers listen to their wives too much ... wa wa wa. Considering your an Irish man managing an English club with an Irish owner, please explain. His buys have been disconcerting too. 10s of millions spent on Championship players; even brought one in from the Eircom League over here. I read some statistic earlier this season (can't remember the exact figures) that so many of his signings have been ex-teammates either from United, Celtic or from the ROI set up ... interesting that.

Speedy City for the top 6 anyway ... City are a massive club.

Remember last season there was a distinct lack of interest among Fulham fans when they avoided relegation. God knows El Fayed have enough money to get bigger grounds than Craven Cottage and better players too. And not keep selling their better players.

You gotta give Keane credit for making Sunderland top Coca Cola Championships last season. Before he came in, they were real crap. This time round, Sunderland are battling well above their weight class. The heart is there, but the ability and talent is not. But dont think they will be as bad as when Mike Dean was managing them.

If Keane played his cards wrong, they may be relegated. But like I said, with so many teams playing badly this season, you must be god awful to be relegated. Derby already have a slot reserved for them so there are only 2 slots left.

Plus Keane spent tons of money on a goal keeper? Also didnt he bad mouthed Kieran on Man U TV before he was sacked? Now he bought him?

[polishmike]

I think injuries might put them in the relegation zone but otherwise they might hang on. You are rght there is heart but not much talent. I think it was a mistake to get Richardson, same money could've bought a more experienced epl player who they so badly need. I think the goalie purchase was a smart move and if it wouldn't be for injuries their defence would be doing much better.

[beast]

I think injuries might put them in the relegation zone but otherwise they might hang on. You are rght there is heart but not much talent. I think it was a mistake to get Richardson, same money could've bought a more experienced epl player who they so badly need. I think the goalie purchase was a smart move and if it wouldn't be for injuries their defence would be doing much better.

With so many tycoons coming in, BPL is a place where the rich can thrive and if you are not willing to pump in the money, you must be a very shrewd manager like what Allardyce did in the transfer market but he still have a very big backroom staff to do things.

Look at the mid tier players. Portsmouth already spent tons. Even Everton also spent on Yakubu. West Ham went on a spending frenzy. Ditto for Newcastle. If Yeung buys in Birmingham, for sure he will spend to avoid relegation. Villa and Rovers seems to be doing it with more circumspection.

So for Keane, he has to settle for the also-rans. He even get his old buddy Dwight Yorke to play midfield.

[plongin]

Remember last season there was a distinct lack of interest among Fulham fans when they avoided relegation. God knows El Fayed have enough money to get bigger grounds than Craven Cottage and better players too. And not keep selling their better players.

You gotta give Keane credit for making Sunderland top Coca Cola Championships last season. Before he came in, they were real crap. This time round, Sunderland are battling well above their weight class. The heart is there, but the ability and talent is not. But dont think they will be as bad as when Mike Dean was managing them.

If Keane played his cards wrong, they may be relegated. But like I said, with so many teams playing badly this season, you must be god awful to be relegated. Derby already have a slot reserved for them so there are only 2 slots left.

Plus Keane spent tons of money on a goal keeper? Also didnt he bad mouthed Kieran on Man U TV before he was sacked? Now he bought him?

I think keane's done a very good job, I think he'll be able to keep em up. they've just hit a run of really tough games, and he's hit by many injuries.

they'll survive though. richardson was sucking it at united, but he fits in really well with the sunderland set up. they'll just have to hold until january, and you know he's gonna get some of fergies fledglings on loan.... danny simpson and jonny evans played massive roles for sunderland last year round, he'll prob try to take them on for the rest of this season if ferguson allows it. otherwise theres many others that he can loan from the united academy.

plus did you say mike dean? you said mike dean managed sunderland before keane? i think you need to up the football knowledge a little bit more; mike dean's the ref. (ahem mick mccarthy)

[beast]

I think keane's done a very good job, I think he'll be able to keep em up. they've just hit a run of really tough games, and he's hit by many injuries.

they'll survive though. richardson was sucking it at united, but he fits in really well with the sunderland set up. they'll just have to hold until january, and you know he's gonna get some of fergies fledglings on loan.... danny simpson and jonny evans played massive roles for sunderland last year round, he'll prob try to take them on for the rest of this season if ferguson allows it. otherwise theres many others that he can loan from the united academy.

plus did you say mike dean? you said mike dean managed sunderland before keane? i think you need to up the football knowledge a little bit more; mike dean's the ref. (ahem mick mccarthy)

Yup McCarthy. Must be a freudian slip. Haha

Anyway, this is a true litmus test for Keane. To survive in BPL. Hughes is doing very well, making good buys and getting European slots. Bruce and Coppell looks like they are heading for relegation these days.

[fatchino]

This one made me laugh. Massive clubs sell out their games.

City are a massive club is an old United joke ...

[plongin]

City are a massive club is an old United joke ...

that will live on forever....and ever.... and ever...

[its swanny]

Thank God for Ricardo Clark.

Been waiting for someone to kick the hell out of Ruiz for a loooooooooooong time.

Too bad he didn't break his face.

[polishmike]

Thank God for Ricardo Clark.

Been waiting for someone to kick the hell out of Ruiz for a loooooooooooong time.

Too bad he didn't break his face.

I don't even know who that is but that's some fucking balls. In a normal league he would be suspended until he's too old to run.

[readytoignite]

clark's 9 match ban is way beyond what any top club would get in any of the big european leagues. no doubt dida will get off scott free for his antics in scotland and arguably what he did was more damaging to the sport than a moment of frustration.

at any rate, can't believe we dropped two points at anfield. it pains me to say but robbo as england's #1 is a complete joke.

[beast]

clark's 9 match ban is way beyond what any top club would get in any of the big european leagues. no doubt dida will get off scott free for his antics in scotland and arguably what he did was more damaging to the sport than a moment of frustration.

at any rate, can't believe we dropped two points at anfield. it pains me to say but robbo as england's #1 is a complete joke.

1. I thought Dida got a 2 match ban?

2. Yup I was disappointed Spurs drew the match. Over the past seasons, I thought Spurs settled for draws when they should have gunned for all 3 points. Sure, Keane's second goal was a bit of a fluke but if their defending was good enough, they should have gotten all 3 points which would be a famous victory at Anfield no less.

3. Robinson sucks and have been sucking big time. Even David James is better and should replace him. McClaren should wake up and ditch Robinson before Robinson really cost England the Euro qualifier and McClaren his job.

[its swanny]

1. I thought Dida got a 2 match ban?

We were talking about Ricardo Clark, not Dida.

[fatchino]

Comparing GBH to a bit of play acting ... Surely this guy Clark's actions have potential consequences beyond the football pitch. No matter how cowardly Dida's antics were, it doesn't take too much balls to kick a man in the head when he's lying on the ground does it?

True that would probably wouldn't get as severe a punishment in any of the European Leagues ... especially when you consider this ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h5yp-7Y2HR8

[readytoignite]

you could argue that dida was deliberately trying to get the match replayed by cheating. if they were 3-0 up i can guarantee you he would not have to be stretchered off the pitch.

clark was just trying to kick the stuffing out of ruiz because he lost his temper. i agree he should be punished, but i'm just pointing out uefa and fifa's complacency with respect to the more serious issues that are undermining the integrity of the game.

[plongin]

dida was just outrightly retarded.

but hey, looking at clark's video carefully. looks like ruiz was doing abit of acting himself. sure the kick was hard, but it didnt look like the foot hit his head at all.

[moondog]

POLAND WINS!!!!!!!!!!

BELGIUM WATCH OUT!

VIVA Ebi Smolarek!

[grilled cheese]

but hey, looking at clark's video carefully. looks like ruiz was doing abit of acting himself. sure the kick was hard, but it didnt look like the foot hit his head at all.

Ruiz is among the worst floppers that I am aware of in the world. There's nothing that compares to him in the EPL--even when Brits would whine about the antics of Drogba and Ronaldo, they were nothing compared to Ruiz. What's worse is that he plays his BS out at the international level as a Guatemalan international. He's a dirty, irritable, pest of a player that had it coming to him. I'm surprised he didn't get something of the sort earlier in his career.

Clark's kick comes nowhere near Ruiz's head. Take a closer look.

[LaiShin]

AHAHA ENGLAND

on a side note, FM is out. Anyone played yet? There goes my final...

[jake431]

Quick dumb question - I joined an indoor league at work. We'll be playing on turf, I need shoe recommendations...

Thanks!

-Jake

[fatchino]

Quick dumb question - I joined an indoor league at work. We'll be playing on turf, I need shoe recommendations...

Thanks!

-Jake

Usually play on indoor pitchs ... ie not astro turf ones but picked up a pair of these ...

Nike Pace Vapour II

Stay away ... cheap and awful. Cut my ankle right up after a 45 minute game.

I'd suggest something by the usual offenders though ... Adidas, Nike, Umbro etc Rivaldo used to wear Mizuno and Keane was always Diadora.

Best FM ever, well back when it was CM was 97-98 ...

Inzaghi Sonny Anderson

Del Piero Alfonso

Zidane Keane

... oh I can't remember the rest ... always remember this Austrian guy called Markus Purk or something. 20 at set pieces and 20 at finishing but he seemed to miss a load of penalties. Peter Prospar too in 99-00 or something he was a 17 year old Trinadadian with the skill of a crack free Maradonna ... by season 00-01 (CM 4 I think?) he was 31 and about as much usual as Peter Crouch. The hours wasted at the game ... resulted in me having more more experience than Stan Staunton and Wee Sammy combined though!!

[polishmike]

I play in Puma V3.06 TT

order them 1/2 bigger cause they run small. You can get them for around $50. They are very light with good support and excellent grip.

[beast]

AHAHA ENGLAND

on a side note, FM is out. Anyone played yet? There goes my final...

England? Its a big IF whether they can beat Croatia at home. Even if they do and Russia win their last 2 matches which is possible, England wont qualify for Euros which is possible. I think its unlikely HIddink will flop at the last hurdle. And their most important match left is Israel at home in the freezing Russian weather and on that artificial pitch.

If England gets dumped, McClaren should get fired the next day and maybe he will land a job with BPL struggles like Derby, Bolton etc,

[plongin]

AHAHA ENGLAND

on a side note, FM is out. Anyone played yet? There goes my final...

FM's OUTTT??? fuck. im still playing 2007, and im at the year 2022. shit always happens to me; play a game till its an empire and then the update comes out.

i hope england crashes out. they need the reality check... that they fuckin suck.

[fatchino]

I play in Puma V3.06 TT

They look nice and futuristic for the price.

I am playing

for indoor but they'll be done soon. Where can I pick up a pair for that price?

Anyone have the new FM ... probably download the demo now.

[Guest itsmeJT]

pljf32Ggup0

great times...

[beast]

Jol finally got the sacked. What is surprising is it took so long. After Mourinho and Sammy Lee. This is hardly surprising since after 10 league games, they have only beat 1 team I think Derby once.

[Caps Lock]

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.

Right now I'm not playing in New York cause I moved to Vegas for a bit, but when I come back I'll probably try out for the Nevada Smiths's team. Heard any good things from them?