Ian Bell with a scathing article to kick off the European season.
An interesting piece on Sven’s record as a club manager.
An article on Marcus Hahnemann – of the three US keepers playing in the Premiership the one that receives the least amount of press coverage. Writen before his Old Trafford shut out.
I've thought Hahnemann has been underrated for a couple of years. The main reason is obviously that he's been playing for Reading, instead of in the premiership (until last season) with clubs like Blackburn and Manchester United.
Granted, if I'm Bob Bradley, I'd still probably go to Howard as my #1... But having a backup of his quality is a very useful asset.
1 Bobby what do you learn about united's attack today, and l rember you talking about how samuel eto is probably the most valuable player in the planet because he is so difficult to replace and we saw how it affected barca, using your same argument do you feel than tevez and rooney will complement that well ine against deep defending teams and good solid teams with good defenders?
2 Bobby what did you make of the three promoted teams and their perfomance and especially birmingham ?l thougt they look better than people think of them
3can you help me about how wenger is 13/2 to get fired and do you think martin jol will be at spurs next season if they do not win a trophy or break into the top four?
4do you think ronaldo looks fat or there is something wrong with my tv
5 there is talk of alvares going to chelsea and l do not think he is a good defender he is just like evra and eboue , not good defenders but excellent going forward, how would you desribe mr alvares
Im surprised more folks arent in for the portuguese fullback miguel, he seems perfect for the epl. I didnt see much of valencia last term so i dont know how his club season went, maybe atleti can fill us in, but he looked a real menace at the world cup. How do you rate this player?
Miguel was a major part of Valencia's 06/07 campaign. I seem to recall reading that he doesn't get along with the manager and was interested in a move out of the club. I don't know what became of that-- maybe they smoothed over their differences.
From what ive seen of Sagna, I think hell do very well with the gunners, but before that signing I was hoping arsenal would have had a go for Miguel. Im surprised SAF doesnt make a run at him as the neviller getting up there in age and brown just doesnt cut it. I like Miguel more than ALves too. ALves is a very good player but a little one way (forward) and somewhat of a liability in defense.
Not that it matters at all, but I just watched the review show and Bocanegra's knee was outside the box, therefore the penalty was erroneously given. I slowed it down to frame by frame, so no bother arguing Arsenal fans...your team caught a big break. Then again, I doubt blame the referee, because he obviously doesn't have frame by frame slo-mo at his disposal.
1. What to you make of the incredible number of foreigners in the EPL this season? At last count there were 330 from 66 different countries; 50 more than last season, and for the first time ever they outnumber their English counterparts. In the inaugural EPL season in 1992 there were a total of 11 foreigners in the league. Arsenal have 22 foreiners and 2 locals; Liverpool's ratio is 18 and 5. This without mentioning that all the major managers and owners are also foreign.
2. What is the British Government trying to do about this? What can they do and why are they considering intervening? Is is because they fear that this is a short term phenomenon which could leave the English game in ruins, or are they just trying to help the national team?
Thats interesting ophuque since when I was complimenting Arsenal on persevering today you started to compare Arsenal's past 10 years in the league to Liverpool's....
Henry, United's main attack problem today was they were too patient, took too many touches, made too many passes in trying to open something up and make opportunities, when they didn't take many that just naturally opened up for them. There were many times when I thought Scholes, Carrick, and Rooney had the ball just off the box, and they kept passing, instead of taking a rip at it. I think it also showed that United need to play with 2 strikers, to take some pressure off the one who is on top.
That time Rooney got sprung free into the box, late in the first half, Reading swarmed him, and could afford to, because there wasn't anyone immediately there for him to attack with.
The one thing I did not understand, was SAF going with... 5 defensemen in a game against Reading... Ferdinand, Vidic, Silvestre, Brown, and Evra... Reading had no attacking will whatsoever... I thought he could have gone with another, more offensive minded player, and could have helped drive more scoring chances.
leche you make a good point, 5 defensive players againts Reading? but you probably know, Reading is a newly promoted club in the EPL...so you can call that they are kinda "testing" the water.EPL is a fast paced league, and Fergie knows that Reading's offensive power might not be enough to break United's defense. But one thing that can is Reading's counter-attack. When encounters by a strong team sometimes teams like reading count on the counter-attack. So they will sit back in their line until they see some openings.And when they do, they will try to get the most of it.Fergie knows this and calculate that his fire powers will be enough to break Reading's...he kept 5 just to make sure that REading's counter-attack won't score.Because if they do score, they probably act more defensive than they already were.
Evra played as more of a left midfielder than a fifth defender. He and Silvestre seemed to switch a lot but I think the back four were Brown, Rio, Vidic, and Silvestre. Middle four were Ron, Scholes, Carrick and Evra. It was listed pre-game as Silvestre in that left mid spot but it seemed to me that Evra was more forward.
Nani really wasn't ready to play too big a part (it showed when he went in) and United don't really have another left winger when Giggs plays second forward like he did today(a formation I'm never happy to see). I agree with the opinion that United look suspect with a lone striker, especially when it's Roon and when he went down all bets were off. Christ, O’Shea played up front for the last 20 or so. United aren’t weak at the back like everyone has been chirping about. Up-front they have the worlds most delicate striker(Saha), a pensioner(but the best damn pensioner in the world!!-We love you, Ole.), a forward who always looks better with a partner(no comments about the boys looks, now) and a week old transfer(better dig deep, Tevez, you've got another heavy load to carry this season).
Last edited by ulsterson on August 13th at 1:14 AM.
I would like to know how Nike and Adidas can charge $200 for a pair of boots and they cant spend some of that to figure out why there has been such a rise in foot fracture.
By the way, I haven’t read or heard the word "Metatarsal" in all of the press coverage. Is this a P.R. tactic? He has fractured his metatarsal, hasn't he? Yet not one mention that this is what has happened, again. Hmmmm. I smell conspiracy. Shoe companies? F.A.?
After watching FSC`s new Super Sunday+ show ,it appears the only qualification you need to be an "analyst/expert" ,in the case of Gary Richards ,is to have owned a pub in LA.
Hey Fox ,I used to run a bar in Houston ,can I have a job?
The reason United didn't win was because Rooney was injured in the first half and they didn't have a striker to replace him. Its that simple.
The fact they had five "defenders" on the field had nothing to do with it since almost everyone was thrown forward and they were creating chances every other second. They just needed someone to finish off the chances...Looked awfully similar to Arsenal of last year. This makes Tevez an even huger signing for this team, lets hope he gets hurt too.
Not obsessed with Arsenal, I just find it very curious that people on here were so easy to slam Liverpool and the foul that led to the winning free kick, but not a peep for a penalty that was just as, if not more, lightly given. But this is the last time I bring it up because clearly it's a lost cause.
Well you have to think about it...Torres was their best player for the past few years and he left the club she loves. If Stevie G left, would you have him on a top 10 transfer list? I'd have a hard time putting him down too.
torres is an #### and gerrard is a coward and a stone wall cheater, last year agaist sheffield he manfactured penalties, and took a cheap shot at a feyernood player , what a barstard
I can't see Kewell starting, though the wing play on Saturday was atrocious (especially Pennant). I think Gerrard and Torres start too, with Crouch on the bench...
I'm sorry h14, but I can't take anyone seriously regarding cowardice when a former captain from their team at 6'4" attacked someone at 5'9" (even if it was Gary Neville), that's pretty cowardly. And with Lehmann flopping all over the place on a regular basis to get people booked or sent off, do you really think you're in a position to be the morality police?!
Besides, I can't see how any person with an IQ above Forrest Gump's (i.e., 70) can't realize that Petrov DID in fact foul Gerrard. The penalty at Sheffield last season was soft, but I know from personal experience that when you're running at full speed and someone makes minor contact with your foot, you are going to fall...it's simple physics, that if not reality would result in a cheetah's extinction (yes, random, but true). Perhaps the referee shouldn't have given a penalty, but I can't fault Gerrard for falling. It's not like he did a Ronaldo and stiffened his back leg and fell over someone's outstretched foot without contact.
And given your "command" of language, is it really prudent to call anyone an ####?
H14, I spotted the 13/2 for Wenger being fired too, I was incredulous to say the least. Bobby cleared it up as a misprint it is 13/1.
You can say what you want about Man U but they barraged the goal in the game I watched and but for 3 or 4 saves by Hahnemann Utd would have walked away easy winners. If just one goes in Reading loses the plot and its a blow out. I wouldn't be too worried if I was a Man U fan, although Pompey away are their bogey team for the last few years. They are light up front and at the back, I would buy another RB or CB before striker. SAF will sign somebody, maybe on loan up front.
For me it is too early to say on the transfers, but Torres wouldn't make the list unless he scores 25 goals for the next 5 years. You can't just say well the team plays well with him, for his price he has to produce. The question is: what could we have bought for that amount? They could have bought Malouda who is the best buy so far. Babel looks good.
I still say Arsenal need to buy a proven big time CB.
First off command of any language isn't evidence for or against lack of mental faculties, see my high school english teacher or any grammarian for proof of that.
2nd- I love Stevie G as a player but he is a whinger and takes the dive every so often as all great players do for their teams. If you say he was touched by someone at Sheff Utd last year you are mistaken, the whole controversy was that the defender intended to foul him, but didn't, (actually very similar to Ronaldo, but closer to Rooney against Sol 3 years ago). He could have gotten around Petrov, he ran into him, that simple.
As no one else has mentioned it ,I will.
Chelsea ,64 home league games unbeaten ,a new record.
More proof that while Chelsea are making history ,Liverpool`s "ist-oree" is just that....
I think Torres will have a better season than most folks think he will, but I don't think he'll provide them 20+ goals. That's why he didn't make the top 10. Had it been a list of the top 20, he definitely would've made it.
Mas is right about Gerrard. Brilliant player, but when Liverpool are down by a goal, he'll resort to dirty tricks and complaining.
He was touched in the Sheffield game last year (go back and look), and he only could have gotten around Petrov if he were made of rubber bands. It #### me off when people single out one instance and when the near replica happens less than 24 hours later, not a peep. It's clear that it's because of the teams involved and not the incidents themselves.
What dirty tricks and complaining? Good luck finding me an objective piece of evidence that supports that view.
Last edited by verbal97 on August 13th at 8:25 AM.
A few weeks back Bobby mentioned that the two topics to guarantee a lot of comments where Beckham and diving.
Therefore ,I would like to propose that.....
Speaking of Beckham, he's competing with Freddy Adu from three years ago as the biggest MLS disappointment of all-time. As soon as he starts playing, the hype will have died down and the attention from the US sports media will be gone. Not a big issue for me, but I'm sure Don Garber, Alexi Lalas, et. al, will be very disappointed.
What specifically does Wenger need a wake-up call for? I thought Arsenal played reasonably well, and except for the mistake by Lehmann, would have been very comfortable. Either way, that will be more interesting and worthy of discussion than H14's and atleti's Gerrard-slamming propaganda wagon.
Well then why in the hell did they play him against Chelsea? WTF were they thinking? He surely would be 100% right now. That is totally management's fault, of course he wanted to play against his mates (Sidwell excluded).
Alright Gerrard was fouled against Villa. Look at the replays! Petrov is molesting him, thats why the foul was called. If he keeps his hands off him its no foul but his hands are up and down his body.
As for Gerrard...He is a whiner. Everyone knows how much I LOVE Stevie G but I will admit it. He whines and sometimes he'll do it when the ball is right by him and he would be better served to go after the ball.
Dirty tricks? hahahahaha, get out of here. If you want to say he is a diver, show me a clip where he went down AND wasn't touched or his movements impeded. If you want to say he's dirty, please show me some of these dirty tackles he does. All I see is a passionate player who's only down point in his game is that he does the occassional whining.
They needed him to play against Chelsea because the US sports media demanded it and it's all about raising the league's profile. Nobody really cares who wins MLS or players' health (including the commissioner), just as long as the league gets more notoriety.
we criticize eboue , ronaldo when they dive and and gerrard is no saint .the penalty at anfield was scandalous were he fell looking at the referee, gerrard is a seriel diver , just like eboue and ronaldo.torres is a decent player and against villa he should have scored twice.l thought arsenal should have won by 5 at least but l think early season ustyness , some passes werwe over weighted
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