football: the beautiful game

[beast]

I agree I think Terry is over rated. Its like one day he was an average defender, the team got took over by the Russian and then he is one of the best in Europe. Alot of English players value are infalted. i.e Tottenham buying Darren Bent for 16 mill.

Bent cost 16.5 mil.

JT is not like Cannavaro who reads the game. JT just flings himself in danger's way seemingly all the time. Carragher is even worse. Persistently commits fouls in the box which should get him a red card repeatedly but doesnt. Rio can make spectacular stupid mistakes and Cappello must be less than impressed by Sol's breakdown in Arsenal v West Ham 2 seasons ago.

Having said that, JT since his return has been outstanding. Pity Cappello didnt pick him as captain.

[readytoignite]

The game is in Poland and it snowed shitload in last 2 days so the pitch will be horrible. I think we only have one defender out so it's a full squad. I'm not sure who's playing for US but I can see 1-0 Poland or maybe 1-1.

it's more or less a full squad, only regular that's out is beasley (injury) and inexplicably his usual cover (convey) was left out. i don't think the state of pitch naturally favors poland, after all we aren't england. match fitness is likely to play a bigger role in the us performance.

leumas - you would know best, your lot lead the way in overpaying for english talent!

[YFSD]

Very clever by Anelka.

[Magsåvningsreserven]

my interest in the national team is dissipating fast, we're becoming a joke..

[its swanny]

Usa! Usa! Usa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[YFSD]

my interest in the national team is dissipating fast, we're becoming a joke..

We've been a joke for years

[YFSD]

Good old Totty

[Magsåvningsreserven]

argh, i knew someone was going to bring it up, thought it would have been sooner though..

anyhow, we're in europe and are stuck in mid-table; i guess they are starting their holidays earlier - but im still pissed off that we seem to be the charity case that funds newcastles's cause every season, as someone put it nicely on the 606 forums..

[readytoignite]

Good old Totty

nice one from a small club in fulham that's going to win f**k all this year. like mag says, you knew it was coming but hate to be any part of giving the barcodes a lift.

[Quixotic]

well pleased with the arsenal result going into the triple header against liverpool..

as much as i hate to say it, as i've hated that riverdancing wanker for as long as i can remember, but hats off to ronaldo..easily the best player in the league this season - would say world but dont watch enough of the foreign leagues to really know..

[beast]

well pleased with the arsenal result going into the triple header against liverpool..

as much as i hate to say it, as i've hated that riverdancing wanker for as long as i can remember, but hats off to ronaldo..easily the best player in the league this season - would say world but dont watch enough of the foreign leagues to really know..

Bolton led 2-0 at home with 1 extra man and blew it. BIg Sam wont allow that if he was still in charge. And Reebok have been the burial ground for Arsenal for years. Arsenal only beat Bolton in Reebok in FA Cup and thats due to extra time. Bolton deserve to go down.

[kert]

well pleased with the arsenal result going into the triple header against liverpool..

as much as i hate to say it, as i've hated that riverdancing wanker for as long as i can remember, but hats off to ronaldo..easily the best player in the league this season - would say world but dont watch enough of the foreign leagues to really know..

i can't stand him either, but he's hands down the best player in the world right now. kaka's playing like well, crap. messi's been injured off and on, ronaldinho is hit or miss.

i still think he's limited on what he can do. he has great speed on the dribble and an amazing shot that seems to get better everytime he shoots. but, he still has limited ball skills. he does the same step over ever time. he just does it with great speed. aston villa was smart to put Reo-koker on him, but that's when he just started roaming. and with rooney, scholes, tevez, giggs, as scoring threats he's always going to get his. i guess it also helps when you're the cockiest player in the world.

[beast]

i can't stand him either, but he's hands down the best player in the world right now. kaka's playing like well, crap. messi's been injured off and on, ronaldinho is hit or miss.

i still think he's limited on what he can do. he has great speed on the dribble and an amazing shot that seems to get better everytime he shoots. but, he still has limited ball skills. he does the same step over ever time. he just does it with great speed. aston villa was smart to put Reo-koker on him, but that's when he just started roaming. and with rooney, scholes, tevez, giggs, as scoring threats he's always going to get his. i guess it also helps when you're the cockiest player in the world.

His side kick leading to the first goal against Villa was excellent. Something Berbatov comes up with himself. Berbs will weep in admiration.

[plongin]

kert, what the fugdestick are you talking about man..ronaldo limited ball skill? if he has limited ball skill,

who in the world has good ball skill?

open your eyes son.

[Egpt]

c. ronaldo, limited ball skill?

ahaha

ahahaha

ahahahaha

[LaiShin]

i can't stand him either, but he's hands down the best player in the world right now. kaka's playing like well, crap. messi's been injured off and on, ronaldinho is hit or miss.

i still think he's limited on what he can do. he has great speed on the dribble and an amazing shot that seems to get better everytime he shoots. but, he still has limited ball skills. he does the same step over ever time. he just does it with great speed. aston villa was smart to put Reo-koker on him, but that's when he just started roaming. and with rooney, scholes, tevez, giggs, as scoring threats he's always going to get his. i guess it also helps when you're the cockiest player in the world.

I concur. Ronaldo only moves the ball left or right after his multiple stepovers. [99]

I can see how suppressing the temptation to unleash his fancy footworks(s)(s) has led you to think of him as having limited ball skills. I thought it's crystal clear that being more direct with his moves/plays is reaping more success for him. He's cocky i'll give u that, but he has every reason to be.

[chchchip]

ronaldo is an amazing talent and definitely one of the greatest players in the world. but imagine how much better he could be if he actually played through all the tackles. the prick goes down with the slightest nudge on him and then just throws a temper tantrum when the ref doesn't give him a call. if he stopped being such a pansie he could demolish teams even more so than he does now.

[Quixotic]

GAH.

I know liverpool were playing away from home, and the away goal is a good thing to defend..but seriously, what's going to happen at anfield? Camp out on the edge of your own box at home for 90 mins?

Too many teams have done this to us this year..our defense seriously need to step it up, our opposition shots to goals ratio must be amazing. We play far too narrow and its almost impossible to thread a pass through 8 players on the edge of the box. we need to start shooting more from distance rather than trying to play the ball into the net..of course if we are about to score i guess Bendtner could always block it ..and then be ruled offside WHEN THERE IS A MAN ON THE LINE. :confused:

dont usually use smilies. but those kinda sum it up.

Plus the ref had an absolute mare..how did we not get a penalty?!

GAH. rant over.

[Quixotic]

ronaldo is an amazing talent and definitely one of the greatest players in the world. but imagine how much better he could be if he actually played through all the tackles. the prick goes down with the slightest nudge on him and then just throws a temper tantrum when the ref doesn't give him a call. if he stopped being such a pansie he could demolish teams even more so than he does now.

this is exactly the same with Eboue...

...except minus the stuff about being a good player.

[polishmike]

Plus the ref had an absolute mare..how did we not get a penalty?!

Same way we didn't get one on Torres later in second half. I thought you'll get the penalty for sure and was ready to kill Kuyt but for some reason ref played a hard game. Besides those two mistakes I think he did pretty well. Now you have to play full team on Saturday and I have a feeling we'll play few b squad players. I'm happy with the result. Bring on Tuesday.

[chchchip]

this is exactly the same with Eboue...

...except minus the stuff about being a good player.

Eboue is the worst player on arsenal. you can't compare him to ronaldo. instead of having any talent eboue is just a pansie. and liverpool clearly got outplayed today. the ref is blind. hleb has gotten shafted in the last two legs with blatant pks yet the ref doesnt call it. except for against ac milan when hleb got a yellow for diving when he had clearly been brought down. liverpool could be one of the best teams in europe and england yet they are shite. gerrad has no confidence that his team can win anything which is absolutely wretched coming from the captain of your squad. liverpool should consider themselves lucky to come out of this game with a draw. as for the chelsea game. one hell of a strike from deivid sealed the deal.

[Quixotic]

Eboue is the worst player on arsenal. you can't compare him to ronaldo. instead of having any talent eboue is just a pansie.

this was my point entirely? hence the "except him being a good player". i dont know why wenger persists on playing him. dives all over the shop, and to such an extent that now when he is hacked down we wont get anything because he's the boy who cried foul.

[Quixotic]

Same way we didn't get one on Torres later in second half. I thought you'll get the penalty for sure and was ready to kill Kuyt but for some reason ref played a hard game. Besides those two mistakes I think he did pretty well. Now you have to play full team on Saturday and I have a feeling we'll play few b squad players. I'm happy with the result. Bring on Tuesday.

im not even sure how Hleb managed to dance his way through your defense tbh..now if he could just learn to shoot!

we have no option but to play a full team - our squad is so bare at the moment it's unreal! we have no depth what-so-ever..

i think we'll sneak saturday, mainly because you'll rest players (altho with rafa you never know), i think tuesday will be an exciting game, and even tho i'd say you're favourites to go through now im quite looking forward to it.

[beast]

GAH.

I know liverpool were playing away from home, and the away goal is a good thing to defend..but seriously, what's going to happen at anfield? Camp out on the edge of your own box at home for 90 mins?

Think that is the plan. Rafa got what he wants. His precious away goal. Now the plan is not concede and counter attack and score if you can.

[beast]

this was my point entirely? hence the "except him being a good player". i dont know why wenger persists on playing him. dives all over the shop, and to such an extent that now when he is hacked down we wont get anything because he's the boy who cried foul.

Dont forget he can take out players with his rough play. Ask Terry at the Emirates.

[polishmike]

we have no option but to play a full team - our squad is so bare at the moment it's unreal! we have no depth what-so-ever..

of course you'll play a full team, you can still win the title. rafa can play crouch, pennant, alonso, arbeloa, and riise so he can rest torres, gerrard, hyypia, lucas, and aurelio. mascherano's hearing is tomorrow so he will most likely get suspended for another game. that makes it pretty much out b squad. i'll be happy with a draw but i'll take a defeat and fabregas broken leg.

if we score at anfield on tuesday you're pretty much fucked.

[kert]

kert, what the fugdestick are you talking about man..ronaldo limited ball skill? if he has limited ball skill,

who in the world has good ball skill?

open your eyes son.

if you read my post, i say he's the best player in the world. still doesn't mean he has better ball skills than others. there are other qualities to the game.

[readytoignite]

Same way we didn't get one on Torres later in second half. I thought you'll get the penalty for sure and was ready to kill Kuyt but for some reason ref played a hard game. Besides those two mistakes I think he did pretty well.

i agree that the ref did ok, he let the players play and was consistent in his calls - what more do you guys want? there was so much chaos leading up to the bendtner "own save" i'm not surprised the linesman got it wrong but it's not like the call influenced the outcome. btw very impressed with kuyt's tracking back, maybe his true calling is a wingback?

a little disappointed about what happened with roma though as a neutral - could have been a great return leg on that one. if chelscum crash out to fenerbahce that will be icing on the cake plus avoid the snoozefest prospects.

[readytoignite]

anyone else while away time doing the bbc premier league predictor? i currently have liverpool pipping everton to 4th on 73 points (to 71). fulham go down on 29, birmingham safe on 34. spurs finish 10th on 53 points by winning 4 of the last 5, with wet spam and the geordies in 11th and 12th respectively

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/predictor/default.stm

[polishmike]

i currently have liverpool pipping everton to 4th on 73 points (to 71)

so you're pretty much ready to paypal me the $20