Ongoing Soccer Thread

[S93]

What a crazy season. Liverpool for all they have been and are so very poor - are 9 points off the top of the table - and 5 points clear of the relegation zone!

Chelsea 3 losses in 4 games with ONE goal scored in those games - they were scoring goals for fun in the first few games - what was it, 17 in 4 games? Spurs 2-0 down at Arsenal and win 3-2 playing great 2nd half.

Bolton! In 4th place, stuffing Newcastle 5-1! Stoke - 3 straight wins....it goes on and on. I hope it stays this way all season.

The fact that the league is so tight atm means that the dropped points by Liverpool against Wigan,Stoke and Blackpool are even worse .
Wins there and Liverpool would be tied on top.


Watched Bolton-Newcastle today and I have to say Owen Coyle is doing a great job with Bolton, it wasnt long ago(read when Sam Alardyce and Megson where managing) that watching Bolton was one of the most boring things to do, but they have build up a side that plays decent attacking and attractive football.
Proves the smaller team dont have to park the bus to get results(like the Stoke and blackburn do every week, all though Stoke score 3 today!)

 

[beardyian]

What a crazy season. Liverpool for all they have been and are so very poor - are 9 points off the top of the table - and 5 points clear of the relegation zone!

Chelsea 3 losses in 4 games with ONE goal scored in those games - they were scoring goals for fun in the first few games - what was it, 17 in 4 games? Spurs 2-0 down at Arsenal and win 3-2 playing great 2nd half.

Bolton! In 4th place, stuffing Newcastle 5-1! Stoke - 3 straight wins....it goes on and on. I hope it stays this way all season.

Plays havoc with any predictions though lol

 

[mars_attack]

I bet you are right Gesshoo. This season is getting really odd the last 3 gameweeks. I just hope that elmander and caroll keeps scoring like that for the rest of the season for my fantasy premier league team

 

[Gesshoo]

I wonder what kind of pressure Rafa is now feeling at Inter? Losing to Milan, losing at the weekend, 9 points behind Milan....after the treble last year, and with the same team PLUS money if needed, he has no excuses.

 

[ThunderPT]

I wonder what kind of pressure Rafa is now feeling at Inter? Losing to Milan, losing at the weekend, 9 points behind Milan....after the treble last year, and with the same team PLUS money if needed, he has no excuses.

Nobody replaces Mourinho successfully. Porto suffered, Chelsea suffered, Inter is suffering and Real Madrid will suffer after Mourinho wins everything there and leaves. He just sets the bar way too high, can't wait until he decides it's time to manage the Portuguese national team so we can finally win some silverware.

There's a lot of pressure on Rafa already, but I think it's way too quick to start thinking of new managers (like the italian press started doing already). It's the team that won everything that is the hardest to motivate, it's the biggest challenge a new manager can face.

 

[onemorechance]

Lol Rafa

 

[S93]

I wonder what kind of pressure Rafa is now feeling at Inter? Losing to Milan, losing at the weekend, 9 points behind Milan....after the treble last year, and with the same team PLUS money if needed, he has no excuses.

Not really fair to put all the blame on Rafa imo.

There are a few reasons why I think there struggling, and yes, some of Rafa´s decisions are at fault but its definitely not all of it.
-Morretti set a cap on spending saying he didnt want Rafa to spent as much as Mourinho did, as a results they didnt really buy any one(couple of free transfers) and sold Ballotelli.
-The Mourinho effect. Its no coincident that every team Mourinho has left have struggled the following year.
-Age of the squad. Like AC a couple years ago Inter has a really old squad.
Zanetti,Stankovic,Lucio,Samuel,Cordoba,Mancini,Chivu,Maicon,Cesar and Millito are all over 30.
It was pretty clear from the time Mourinho left that who ever would take from him would have to rebuild quickly since the squad is just getting to old.

TBH I would still take Rafa over Hodgson at Liverpool if it where an option...

 

[SilentJay]

I wonder what kind of pressure Rafa is now feeling at Inter?

I'm still wondering who thought that getting Rafa would be a good idea, after he proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he doesn't know what the hell he's doing at Liverpool. But maybe that's just me.

 

[ThunderPT]

Braga

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

I'm a little late to the party but here is my new favourite image.

 

[Gesshoo]

Part of the whole "levelling out" we have seen this year. Whether it lasts or not, it is great so far. Birmingham have done great since they got promoted - they are managing to continue this year where they were last year. And Chelsea are on a weird run of 1 goal in 4 games - when did that last happen?

 

[robert_wrath]

If your considering wagering on Champions League, check these picks out:
-[304] 02:45PM 304 Benfica Spread -1 (+118)*
-[307] 02:45PM Barcelona -1½,-2 (+135)*
-[311] 02:45PM TOTTENHAM Spread -1, -1½ (-105)*

 

[Gesshoo]

Some more great games yesterday - Villa-Arsenal was a cracker and ManU-Blackburn was just an exhibition!

 

[beardyian]

Couldn't help but chuckle when i saw that in the morning papers Berbatov had been given 6 months to prove himself to Man U

After those 5 goals i suppose he's banked a few of those months


* With Barcelona v Real Madrid on tomorrow (Monday) at 7.30pm i see it clashes with Leicester v Notts Forest, hmmm, which shall i watch? lol

 

[onemorechance]

Couldn't help but chuckle when i saw that in the morning papers Berbatov had been given 6 months to prove himself to Man U

After those 5 goals i suppose he's banked a few of those months


* With Barcelona v Real Madrid on tomorrow (Monday) at 7.30pm i see it clashes with Leicester v Notts Forest, hmmm, which shall i watch? lol

No point being awesome for a game or two then being terrible for six weeks. Can't see him being at United much longer unless he can actually maintain his form

Excellent point for us today. Good time to play Chelsea, what with their form and the conditions, and I think we were well worthy of a point. Plus if it hadn't been for that ***** Cole being very, very alert we might have taken all three points. Huge positives in Sol and Taylor, and for me they'd be my first choice centre back pairing. Cololololoccini and Williamson are pretty awful. I'd love to see us bring in a winger in January. Neither Jonas or Routledge have any sort of crossing ability. Will be pleased to see Barton back

Oh and obviously :heart: Carroll. The guy is genuinely awesome

 

[Gesshoo]

Real Madrid v Barca for me - but only cos they aren't showing the Forest game over here

BTW - good win Friday night!

 

[onemorechance]

Just looked at the Physio Room, Ben Arfa's expected return date is mid-April, thought it might be a little earlier than that

Lol Spuds

Edit - LOL MAXIIII

 

[onemorechance]

Barca though

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

rofl real are getting destroyed.

 

[onemorechance]

6 or 7 really wouldn't be unfair on Real

 

[onemorechance]

Might just be the greatest performance I've ever seen. Stunning

 

[MrEpic94]

holy crap, just found out the real/barca score. :O insane

 

[ThunderPT]

Only two undefeated teams in Europe this season now: Manchester Utd. and FC Porto. United will have a really tough period now, though.

 

[SilentJay]

12 yellow cards and a red. You'd think there was some sort of rivalry going on there or something.

 

[Gesshoo]

Great performance. Crushed Madrid.