Premier League 2008/9

quote:Originally posted by DarkAuror
[quote]Originally posted by willd

Secondly, its quite clear that Keane cannot handled the pressure and has bottled it.

Thirdly, Ramos as Madrid coach, wtf? Do they not get PL highlights over there! [}:)]



I not sure if Keane has bottled it, just having to play a different role than he was to at Spurs. He's an 'in-the-hole' striker not upfront striker or a left sided striker. Even at Spurs, he was great when directing the flow of passes. He always found players in scoring positions (no different to how he is playing at Liverpool) and a lot of his goals were penalties.




I was reading it a Roy Keane the (ex) Sunderland boss [:?]

quote:Originally posted by Slipperman
[quote]Originally posted by DarkAuror
[quote]Originally posted by willd

Secondly, its quite clear that Keane cannot handled the pressure and has bottled it.

Thirdly, Ramos as Madrid coach, wtf? Do they not get PL highlights over there! [}:)]



I not sure if Keane has bottled it, just having to play a different role than he was to at Spurs. He's an 'in-the-hole' striker not upfront striker or a left sided striker. Even at Spurs, he was great when directing the flow of passes. He always found players in scoring positions (no different to how he is playing at Liverpool) and a lot of his goals were penalties.




I was reading it a Roy Keane the (ex) Sunderland boss [:?]


After re-reading Will's comments, yes, I've got the wrong Keane. Many apologies!! [:I][:I]

quote:Originally posted by Neil
The big game at the weekend for your boys Will with the mighty Tigers visiting Anfield, I imagine you won't be top come Saturday evening....


Yes that could well be the case. Was offered tickets but didnt fancy the trip up after being up in Harrogate last weekend, I couldnt stand the thought of another 4 hours plus of driving.

DA, I did mean Roy Keane. As for Robbie, well he just needs time. He played brilliantly in the 2nd half on Tuesday. As for Spurs, what a difference a new manager makes.

I LOVE HULL FC!!! You should have held them Scousers at 2-0 but you didn't let them have all three points. THANK YOU, NEIL!!!

GJ

quote:Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes
I LOVE HULL FC!!! You should have held them Scousers at 2-0 but you didn't let them have all three points. THANK YOU, NEIL!!!

GJ


I LOVE SPURS!!! [:D]

I sadly did not watch any of the games over the weekend and so have had to rely on the written press. By all accounts, Hull may have 'parked the bus in the penalty area' in the second half, but in all honesty I am rather worried by our lack of ability in putting teams away. Fair play to the Tigers, they have been mighty impressive this year.

Having said that, this is the second time, Liverpool have slipped up, and yet again Manchester United and Chelsea have both failed to capitalise on this.

Bottom half of the table is looking as tight as ever. Blackburn are not looking good at all.

Overseas, it seems that Ramos' losing ways are continuing with a loss in the 'el classico'.

Spurs have yet to lose against the big 4 this season. Sorry Neil, not Hull![;)]

Bugger.

GJ

So Christmas fixtures are done and now the real fun of the January transfer window starts.

Pompey look like they are going to be in the Championship next season, if they keep selling players.

Having said that what a great bit of business, buying Defoe for 8mill then selling him back to Spurs 11 months later, for what really is 19 million (if you include the 4million buy back price).

Rumours of Crouch going to Villa; Johnson to my boys. Downing seems pretty set on Spurs also. DA you must be loving it.

And of course then there is Carlos Tevez....somehow I dont think he will be mr popular at Carrington this morning.

quote:Originally posted by willd
So Christmas fixtures are done and now the real fun of the January transfer window starts.

Pompey look like they are going to be in the Championship next season, if they keep selling players.

Having said that what a great bit of business, buying Defoe for 8mill then selling him back to Spurs 11 months later, for what really is 19 million (if you include the 4million buy back price).

Rumours of Crouch going to Villa; Johnson to my boys. Downing seems pretty set on Spurs also. DA you must be loving it.

And of course then there is Carlos Tevez....somehow I dont think he will be mr popular at Carrington this morning.


Sure looks like the Defoe will be saved by 'Arry and we definitely need him. Looks like the deal is complicated especially if we write off the monies owed to from the transfers of Pedro Mendes and Kaboul, so it we may not end up paying all of the 19m. Downing, still unsure about but that's the great thing about 'Arry, he can bring the best out of most players.

As for Tevez, it looks Man U haven't been to talking to the right agent or his agent hasn't involved Tevez in the deal.

quote:Originally posted by DarkAuror
Sure looks like the Defoe will be saved by 'Arry and we definitely need him.


Will be interesting to see what happens to Dazza Bent now. One would presume he will effectively be surplus to requirements and I cant see him being too happy about being sat on the bench.

Spurs went wrong in selling both Defoe and Keene in the last 10 months. Berba was always off to Utd no matter what. Of course we never know the full story.

LIVERPOOL SUFFER MASSIVE STOKE!

[:w]

GJ

Well, well, well...

GJ

Well done to United, destroyed Chelsea and now look good value for the title. I say this because Liverpool cannot win the title by going to Stoke and drawing. We are no relying too heavily on United messing up.

Rafa confuses me, he managed to get away with a half strength team at Newcastle. It just didnt work at Stoke. I mean anyone who has been watching Liverpool knows that Lucas is about as promising as that Denilson (who was the biggest overrated footballer ever). I lost count of how many times Lucas passed straight to Stoke. We are missing Xabi Alosno big time.

And dont even get me started on starting Dirk 'I work hard but can never score' Kuyt up front and leaving Keano on the bench. Fair play to leave out a half fit Torres but Keane. He will argue that the derby games are more important, true, but in the grand scheme of things beating Utd is more important.

Of course Rafas comments about Mr Ferguson have just helped Utd be even more determined. I despair.


Felt sorry for Spurs, is clear that certain players are not in Harry's plans. Zakora was a bit of a joke out on the right yesterday. DA would not agree the sooner Bentley goes the better?

As for Hull, I do hope they get out of this rotten run they are on.

quote:Originally posted by willd


Felt sorry for Spurs, is clear that certain players are not in Harry's plans. Zakora was a bit of a joke out on the right yesterday. DA would not agree the sooner Bentley goes the better?

As for Hull, I do hope they get out of this rotten run they are on.


I think 'Arry summed it up where he said that there are players who have been brought in for big fees and they should start justifying them. At the time I didn't really understand the logic of signing Bentley as he will always play second fiddle to Lennon. Bentley even questioned it before signing for Ramos. Bent is now on the outside looking in. Pavylechenko and Defoe need time to gel together but potentially you have two good chasers with one good in the air and the other good on the ground. Still need a left winger, if not Downing (whom I still not sure about) then a 'Arry special from Europe/Africa.

As for Zokora, he is and will always be a defensive midfielder with a good engine. He's not a right back, centre half, right winger or an attacking midfielder.

Unfortunately for Hull, this is the time of year where most teams have seen enough of them to know how they play. This is the time to change things to keep the other teams on their toes. Also, they need to get more points at home.

quote:Originally posted by DarkAuror

Unfortunately for Hull, this is the time of year where most teams have seen enough of them to know how they play. This is the time to change things to keep the other teams on their toes. Also, they need to get more points at home.


I think it's all down to Neil not cheering loudly enough. [ii] Nevermind, they'll get their groove back.

As for willd's emotional re-cap above, I'd still suggest you will win the title and MUFC will not. We're not exactly playing consistently at the level we did yesterday, and our strikers are running very hot and cold -- no one can finish a bloody shot on goal. And Ronaldo has gone from Footballer of the Year to also-ran. He needs to drive fewer Ferraris and more free kicks into the net. Bugger hits the wall every fecking time!

But I ask you, has not Giggs fragrance?

GJ

Well GJ one of us will be right.

The way I see is that if MUFC win the two games in hand they are then a point ahead of Liverpool. I just don't see MUFC dropping and Liverpool taking advantage. Of course next weekend will be a big test for LFC with a Monday game when they will know all the other results. Even if your boys aren't on firing form, neither are ours, and you boys are very good at grinding out a result (Boro for example).

It is shaping up to be quite an exciting race. I am not going to write Chelsea off either, yesterdays result may be the kick up the backside they needed.

As for Ronaldo, I feel there could be a bit of a hangover from the summers shenanigans with Real. Maybe he is doing an Owen/Santa Cruz, and trying to signal to Fergie that his heart lies elsewhere.

Hull do need to start stepping up to the mark now. They could, sorry to say Neil, be in a bit of a free full if they are not careful. Stoke seem to have had a real steal with Etherington, who offers them an added dimension over the Delap long throw, maybe Hull need something like that. One has to wonder if they had mange to hold onto Frazier Campbell how different the story would be.

Bugger hits the wall every fecking time!

I believe that Ronaldo complained to the police at the crash scene that the wall wasn`t 10 yards away.

Will, that was exactly my feeling as I was hitting reload on BBC live over the weekend - let's see if LFC can do what MU have gotten so good at under fergie, and steal a win at the death, throwing in Torres etc etc. Not quite there yet, are they? As common footballing phrases go, the importance of 'winning the games you play badly' is hard to overestimate. Ain't half exciting though ...

quote:Originally posted by Paul H
Bugger hits the wall every fecking time!

I believe that Ronaldo complained to the police at the crash scene that the wall wasn`t 10 yards away.



[ii]

COngratulations to Ronaldo. His performances last season truly deserved the world player of the year award.

So I have just had a rather interesting debate about Kaka at work. It seems his possible arrival in the EPL, as our friends across the pond call it, is developing rather a stir over photocopy machines up and down this great land (que: A GJ joke about photocopying body parts).

My thoughts are it is crazy money. His reported wage, if he signs, is an utter joke.

Agent and AC Milan are of course all rubbing their hands.

And how on earth is Hughes expected to manage. When he first went to City and in effect snubbed any future MU job, I thought he might be having the last laugh. But now I cannot see him lasting more than 12 months at City.

Unlike Chelsea, Man City seem to be just going for mega stars and hoping the will gel with the likes of Vassell!

quote:Originally posted by willd
So I have just had a rather interesting debate about Kaka at work. It seems his possible arrival in the EPL, as our friends across the pond call it, is developing rather a stir over photocopy machines up and down this great land (que: A GJ joke about photocopying body parts).


I'm hardly that banal.

GJ

UNITED WIN!!!


Football...bloody hell. [^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^][^]

GJ

Behold, if even for a couple days...a thing of great beauty:

1 Man Utd 21 24 47
2 Liverpool 21 22 46
3 Chelsea 22 29 45
4 Aston Villa 22 13 44
5 Arsenal 21 11 38
6 Everton 21 4 35
7 Wigan 22 2 31
8 Hull 21 -11 27
9 Fulham 19 4 26
10 West Ham 21 -4 26
11 Man City 21 9 25
12 Bolton 22 -8 23
13 Newcastle 22 -9 23
14 Sunderland 22 -9 23
15 Portsmouth 20 -12 23
16 Blackburn 21 -11 21
17 Middlesbrough 22 -15 21
18 Stoke 22 -16 21
19 West Brom 22 -17 21
20 Tottenham 21 -6 20

Imagine the picture.

Saturday afternoon 4.45pm.

After watching Jeff and pals for the last 85 mins on Soccer Saturday I am beginning to believe that the results might just go our way. Bolton 0-0 Man Utd, Sunderland 1-1 Villa, Chelsea 0-1 Stoke.

If only football lasted 85 minutes! I feel the phrase 1-0 to the Arsenal needs to be replaced with 1-0 to United.