English Football

[Anorak 0]

I've got a ticket for the last game of the season against Wolves.

 

What a barrel of laughs that'll be if we get relegated.

 

I should never have got this avatar. Stupid poetic justice.

[deancoles 0]

Nice 3-1 win today, with all the keepers out we had to get John Ruddy from Everton on a 7 day loan.

 

1 win needed now to go up.

[Anorak 0]

Get in there! Brilliant win that hopefully just about sees us safe. Would have took a point before hand but we deserved the 3 points from all accounts.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

And it might have done for fucking leeds, along with Hull's equaliser. Champagne on ice. More ice, if we er, GET IN THE PLAYOFFS?! Nah.

[deancoles 0]

How's that Everton Goalie been for you?

 

The one Moyes just sent to us is quality.

[Guest]

I hate Chelsea.

[k thx 0]

RIP Alan Ball, I guess. Took us to the top flight in the 80s, bless him.

 

I'm kind of looking forward to a 3 pronged showdown between United and Chelsea for Prem, FA Cup and CL (not that the latter is a sure thing by any means).

 

King, your time will come in the next few years when all that American money starts coming in, although a 1-0 deficit is still easily overturned at Anfield. You still planning on a pilgimage to Anfield before it's demolished?

[Guest]

Yeah, still going. Hopefully during spring break next year, if the schedule shapes out that way.

[Broward83 0]

Fuckin Chelsea.

 

Liverpool now have to either shut Chelsea out with a goal to their name, or their going to be in a bit of problem.

 

I'd love to see the Chelsea/Man U triple shot over the summer only so I can see Man U beat Chelsea at every term.

[k thx 0]

The problem Liverpool have is they need to score two goals (they could go to penalties with a 1-0 win, but I can't see them wanting to do it or them shutting Chelsea out for 120 minutes) and they rarely look like a team who can score loads of goals. On the other hands, if Stvie G takes control of the game as he can do, then he's capable of scoring a hatrick. I feel their progress may depend on how well he plays.

 

Incidentally, my team (Portsmouth) are playing Liverpool at home on Saturday, 3 days before the Chelsea game. I'm hoping for something similar to when we beat Man U the Saturday before they thrashed Roma 7-1.

 

If we beat Liverpool, I can see us getting into Europe next season. If not, well, not.

[Guest]

We are going to play a lot of subs on Saturday. Hopefully Zenden will be taking the field then instead of on Tuesday. Hopefully Fowler and Dudek get the run out too.

[Broward83 0]

Watched PTI today... (or was it yesterday.. can't remember...) but they mentioned how Man U supporters thrashed a car they thought belonged to Glazer due to his hiking of the ticket prices at Old Trafford.

 

Now I don't know how much the average ticket price for a game at Old Trafford is, but is it so much of a hike that people feel the need to blast the guy even more?

 

I know there's been a ton of hate towards him and his family for basically, taking over Man U and hiding it from the rest of England.. but c'mon, the money he and his family are pouring into Manchester United have allowed them to keep Ronaldo for about five more years and keep hopes of future cup victories in line.

 

I guess what I'm trying to get to is: Does the fact that he's an American outweigh the money he's spent to keep Manchester United as a globally known club?

[deancoles 0]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6300015.stm

 

"As part of the restructuring plan, overall borrowings went up from £580m to £660m, but the club reassured fans - many concerned at the level of debt - that the moves were "good housekeeping"."

 

The debt is one of the big reasons they don't like him.

[TheFranchise 0]

'Does the fact that he's an American outweigh the money he's spent to keep Manchester United as a globally known club? '

 

That doesn't really work, United would have still been one of the biggest clubs in the world anyway.

[Broward83 0]

'Does the fact that he's an American outweigh the money he's spent to keep Manchester United as a globally known club? '

 

That doesn't really work, United would have still been one of the biggest clubs in the world anyway.

 

I don't know.. I mean with how clubs like Chelsea.. Arsenal and Liverpool are climbing up in peoples minds along with clubs like Inter Milan, FC Barca.. Real Madrid.. is it easy to say that Man U would've stayed atop that list?

 

I mean look at the Yankees... if someone with less money.. someone opposite of a Steinbrenner... would they stay atop the world's mind? People know the Yanks because of both Steinbrenner, his money.. and the people he signs.. because of the money he has.

 

If Ronaldo were to leave and money coming in started to dwindle to a point to where they couldn't compete with top clubs in both the EU and England, does Man U really stay atop the globally known list?

 

As far as the link posted, it seems he (Glazer) isn't doing such a bad job.Yes, I can see how the extended debt can be seen as bad.. but with a possible Treble in the works along with the money the EPL is to bring in.. that debt can be knocked down a bit in the next few years.

 

Then again.. I'm not the biggest football head here and I'm sure some of the Brits could englighten me more

[Guest]

Man United will not die until Ferguson leaves. Then you will see the effect that the debt will have on the club. They've been blessed to have a manager that makes so many great buys. Things will change when he's gone.

 

Outside of Barcelona and Liverpool, every other team you mentioned has a penchant for making the sexy buy. Le Arse don't have any home grown players in their side, Inter Milan just buy everyone's older players, Madrid is Madrid, and Chelsea just spends. Man U doesn't have the benefit of the great youth academy that a Barcelona has, they just pump out player after player. Their debt is pretty bad too, but it definitely doesn't show. When Manchester United learns how to turn out players like Messi, Fabregas, Xavi, and Iniesta among others, then they'll be able to manage their debt more accordingly.

 

Manchester United is all Alex Ferguson. The day he leaves....WHOA boy. I hate to say that I'll feel for the club, but I will. They're going to be up shit creek. Everyone's going to want out, and since they have so many older players, they won't be pulling in the big transfer money that Arsenal could probably pull in if Wenger leaves. And if they did sell Ronaldo and Rooney (just to say so), they'd have major holes to replace with the loss of Scholes and Giggs. They're going to have that to deal with anyway, imagine if Sir Alex leaves. Suddenly coming to ManU is not so attractive.

 

Almost all of the big clubs have money, or are able to develop their own players through their youth academy. No, I don't think Arsenal are a truly big club, but that's beside the point. Manchester United will have neither once they slip up once in league and don't qualify for the Champions League, or lose Scholes and Giggs and don't qualify.

[k thx 0]

I think any of the big four in England (Arsenal, Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea) will feel it if they fail to get into the Champions League.

 

For Man U and Glazer, I think a large part of it is the debt, but there's also the good old British attitude of not wanting their club taken over by American types (which has gone now that you need a big backer to suceed in the Premiership).

 

Most of the objections have gone now people have seen it's benefitted the side, but some are still saying it'll be a few years until the true effects are seen. Certainly, as soon as you start treating a football club as a business or an investment, you're in trouble.

 

Arsenal, while they don't have any home grown players per se, have pretty much developed all the players they've bought in. Wenger will sign the best young players and make them world beaters. Similar to Unite in a way, but United have been more likely to spend 10 million plus on players.

 

For the comparision between the Yankees and United, I have know idea who plays for the Yankees or who they support. Outside of Seinfield, which most people in the UK haven't seen, most haven't heard of Steinbrenner. I still know the Yankees, though, because they're a famous name in the sport. If they went out of business or sold all their best players, it wouldn't affect how well known they are.

 

Onto the days fixtures. Good to see the minutes handclap becoming the standard mark of appreciation in football for former players. It's better than a minutes silence, IMHO. Man U win and Chelsea draw means that the titles set for Old Trafford, which is what they deserved. It'll take an almighty effort from Chelsea at OT and a slip up from Man U to stop them, which I can't see happening. Elsewhere, West Ham are continuing their march to safety, but a big win for Sheffield Utd today. I think West Ham may save themselves, but I've got no idea which of Fulham, Wigan of even Sheff U will go down. And most importantly of all, a win for Pompey over Liverpool. I'd gloat over 909, but I really don't think he cares.

 

Oh, and Leeds relegated, in reality if not statistically. Leicester safe, which is good as I want Milan's boys to succeed.

[Guest]

You're right about me not caring. I'm not mad at all about the result. Our teamsheet today was one that would have us finishing in the middle of the table.

 

Chelsea drew Bolton, and ManU won. I think that the other two teams going down will be Charlton and Fulham. Blades probably saved themselves today. If I had it my way, Pompey would get into the UEFA Cup and Bolton would fall out of contention. Can't stand Bolton.

[TheFranchise 0]

Man U doesn't have the benefit of the great youth academy

 

--

 

WHAT?!

[Guest]

The only players that are currently under contract with the big club that have come through the academy (my definition of that is subjective) are Giggs (played some with City but I'll count him anyway), Scholes, Neville, Wes Brown, John O'Shea, and Darren Fletcher.

 

The only man that has come through the academy since 2000 is Fletcher. That's kinda the point I was trying to make, is that their academy has produced no first team players in years. The first three that I mentioned came along a long time ago, and the other three are semi-recent. All their other players are bought (obviously, how else would they have gotten them. Surely not on bosmans), most of them great finds.

 

For the record, I think Liverpool are worse about this than them. Just to let it be known that I'm not showing bias against ManU.

[k thx 0]

I think that United have a great academy, but a big part of it is Fergusons handling of young players. If O'Shea, Fletcher or Wes Brown had come through at any other club (bar possibly Arsenal) they wouldn't be half the players they are now. You could add Kieran Richardson and Chris Eagles to that list, although they both moved to the club when they were in their mid teens. There are others on the edge of the first team who could break in soon, but I don't think Ferguson would want to blood them too soon. I don't think there are many teams relying on their youth teams any more, which is a shame.

 

 

And as much as Liverpool fielded a weakened team, the win still pleased me greatly. We'll take what we can get.

[k thx 0]

Comiserations to Franchise.

 

Liverpool 1 Chelsea 0 so far. Shaping up to be very tense.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Liverpool wins 4-1 in penalty kicks

 

[Guest]

I apologize for hating Bolo Zenden.

 

I think I love Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano.

[deancoles 0]

Kaka/Gattuso/Pirlo vs. Gerrard/Mascherano/Alonso should be a good contest.

[Obi Chris Kenobi 0]

Well, once again Newcastle United had the usual Newcastle United season. Alot of panto stuff with no end product, hopefully we don't sack this manager for no reason and we remove the dead weight gutless players that seem content to come to our club, get their wages then go home laughing. The only bright spark in this season was the 95minutes of Michael Owen not getting injured and looking like he actually wanted to score a goal.

[Guest]

Kaka/Gattuso/Pirlo vs. Gerrard/Mascherano/Alonso should be a good contest.

I hope we run out a midfield four of Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso and Sissoko to counter Milan's great midfield. Mascherano's going to be stuck to Seedorf like glue.

[Broward83 0]

Fuckin Man U...

 

I don't know what the fuck that was on my TV today, but that wasn't Man U trying to play for a spot in the UEFA Final and keep up the shot at another Treble.

 

I'll give Milan credit, they played like they wanted the win more and weren't going to make the mistakes of the last match, nor of allowing the game to go to PK's.

 

Ahh well.. still got a chance at the EPL and FA Cup..

[TheFranchise 0]

Haha, the EPL.

 

Never heard it in that term.

 

We're all behind Liverpool then.

 

 

Side question, does anybody know how the Championship Play-Off's are going to work?

 

In past seasons, it's always been 3rd vs 5th and 4th vs 6th, but someone told me its 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 this year. Then someone told me different.

 

I can't find any links on the Internet that confirm anything.

[deancoles 0]

http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk...~499254,00.html