2009/2010 season thread.

[Guest Gladstone]

BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | SPL happy to hold on to Old Firm

I've only really posted this for the picture. That ball looks like it's about to hit Gary Caldwell mid starjump square in the nuts. Nice one. He deserves it for being a dick and being a bit shit this season.

[Guest Gladstone]

BBC SPORT | Football | Internationals | No diving for me, says McFadden

I wish more people in football shared his views...

The world would be a much better place for it.

[calum]

I'm glad someone finally spoke out about diving. It's an issue that's not discussed nearly enough for my liking.

Is it the foreigners' fault? Who can come up with the most extreme punishment for divers? Is it possible that Drogba rolls about even though he's not actually hurt(!)? Do you have the guts to say it's just cheating?

And after we're done with diving, we can speak about man marking v. zonal marking at corners, the importance of keeping a clean sheet in the home leg of Champions League ties (there's an away goals rule, dontchaknow), England's World Cup chances (should Michael Owen be in the squad?), whether the Old Firm will move to England, and whether the EPL really is the best league in the world.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

I'm glad someone finally spoke out about diving. It's an issue that's not discussed nearly enough for my liking.

Is it the foreigners' fault? Who can come up with the most extreme punishment for divers? Is it possible that Drogba rolls about even though he's not actually hurt(!)? Do you have the guts to say it's just cheating?

And after we're done with diving, we can speak about man marking v. zonal marking(1) at corners, the importance of keeping a clean sheet in the home leg of Champions League ties (there's an away goals rule, dontchaknow)(2), England's World Cup chances (should Michael Owen be in the squad?)(3), whether the Old Firm will move to England(4), and whether the EPL really is the best league in the world(5).

(1) Zonal marking across the back four with the exception of set pieces where you almost certainly have to man mark.

(2) Uefa should scrap the away goals rule.

(3) With only space for four strikers and Rooney and Heskey going a given (Fabio's decision, not mine), you're probably looking at Defoe or Bent if their form continues and Crouch for 'that something different' and his 'great feet for a big man'. Owen needs game time and goals to be considered and it's not looking likely. I wouldn't take him.

(4) Not a chance. Never.

(5) There are technically superior leagues, but British people will almost always say that the EPL is the best because it encompasses what Brits believe football to be (there is passion, strength and tackles along with a relatively high degree of technical ability).

Answers to the world's football problems in two minutes...done.

[calum]

(1) Zonal marking across the back four with the exception of set pieces where you almost certainly have to man mark.

(2) Uefa should scrap the away goals rule.

(3) With only space for four strikers and Rooney and Heskey going a given (Fabio's decision, not mine), you're probably looking at Defoe or Bent if their form continues and Crouch for 'that something different' and his 'great feet for a big man'. Owen needs game time and goals to be considered and it's not looking likely. I wouldn't take him.

(4) Not a chance. Never.

(5) There are technically superior leagues, but British people will almost always say that the EPL is the best because it encompasses what Brits believe football to be (there is passion, strength and tackles along with a relatively high degree of technical ability).

Answers to the world's football problems in two minutes...done.

Glad that's sorted. Now there can be mass redundancies in the football media and I can calm down.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Glad that's sorted. Now there can be mass redundancies in the football media and I can calm down.

Start with Chick Young and I'd be happy for it to stop there.

[ca_gere]

Glad that's sorted. Now there can be mass redundancies in the football media and I can calm down.

Obviously your reply was tongue in cheek but where diving's concerned, I don't think enough players talk frankly enough about it. The media hacks get up on their high horse about it all the time to the point of boredom but it's not often the players speak out and categorically says they will never do it. So props to mcfadyen.

Back to the burning questions... Is foreign investment ruining the game? Will England ever solve the left back problem? Is there a case for bringing video replays into the game?

[Alkaline]

Obviously your reply was tongue in cheek but where diving's concerned, I don't think enough players talk frankly enough about it. The media hacks get up on their high horse about it all the time to the point of boredom but it's not often the players speak out and categorically says they will never do it. So props to mcfadyen.

Back to the burning questions... Is foreign investment ruining the game? Will England ever solve the left back problem? Is there a case for bringing video replays into the game?

Is it not a left-wing problem that England have?

[Shaki]

I'm glad someone finally spoke out about diving. It's an issue that's not discussed nearly enough for my liking.

.

Now that every registered professional footballer on the planet has been asked about diving a list of those who answered a) I would consider diving to give my team an advantage should be handed a three match suspension.

[ca_gere]

Is it not a left-wing problem that England have?

No. Instead of admitting that I hastily typed the wrong position, i've decided that there is an underlying weakness in the left back position that no pundit nor journalist has yet picked up on and if solved England shall win the World Cup final 10-0.

[Guest Gladstone]

I agree with ca_gere. Ashley Cole is their first choice left back and he's a crap defender. He would make a pretty good left winger though. So what they really have is a left back problem and not left wing problem in that their left winger is playing left back.

That said, Lee Naylor and Alan Thomson would solve all their problems. Naylor being the best left back in the business and Thomson (regardless of now being about 53) having the most deadliest left foot the game has ever seen, not to mention pace to burn.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Obviously your reply was tongue in cheek but where diving's concerned, I don't think enough players talk frankly enough about it. The media hacks get up on their high horse about it all the time to the point of boredom but it's not often the players speak out and categorically says they will never do it. So props to mcfadyen.

Back to the burning questions... Is foreign investment ruining the game?(1) Will England ever solve the left back problem?(2) Is there a case for bringing video replays into the game?(3)

If I must...

(1) To a certain extent. However, if foreign investment allows non-top-four clubs to break into the Champions League places then it works for me.

(2) Ashley Cole to left wing, Lescott/Warnock/Baines/Gibbs to left back = sorted.

(3) Footballers as humans are prone to human error. Similarly, referees are human, part of the game and also prone to human error. Poor refereeing decisions cause talking points and elements of passion (namely hatred of the man in black) about football matches that would be eradicated with live on-the-spot video replays. Video evidence should be used retrospectively to punish diving, acts of violence, etc., but should not be used to alter the course of a game whilst the game is underway.

Blah, blah, blah...done!

[EDIT= Carrots - hat's off.]

[Shaki]

I was out of my depth at Aberdeen FC - Evening Express

NO WAY!!?

[Alkaline]

Hmm, i think Cashley is actually quite good. He's not an out-and-out traditional left-back but he does get back and he can tackle. He wouldn't need to push forward as much if England had a natural left-winger that didn't cut in and leave acres of space in front of Cole.

They have:

Ashley Cole

Wayne Bridge

Leighton Baines

Paul Konchesky

Nicky Shorey

Stephen Warnock

There's also younger players like:

Joe Mattock

Kyle Naughton

Kieran Gibbs

Ryan Bertrand

While i agree that some of those players might not set the World stage on fire i'm pretty sure most International teams would happily have any of them as they are all playing at a decent level.

[-matthEw-]

I was out of my depth at Aberdeen FC - Evening Express

NO WAY!!?

I've been keeping up with the serialised excerpts of his book, and jesus its just depressing. I think he comes across as quite a nice guy but he's had an insane amount of issues over the years. Just hope he's put them all behind him.

[Guest Gladstone]

I've not watched Cole that closely for a while, but for a few years I watched him like a hawk (as well as Sol Campbell) who were both getting massive hype for a while.

My general observations of Cole:

1. 
   

1. Pacey as fuck
   
2. Terrible at tackling
   
3. Makes up for his terrible tackling by being a complete pain in the arse. i.e. a winger has to beat him 7 times to get a cross in because he doesn't give up
   
4. Brilliant at goal-line clearances - always seems to be in the right place
   
5. Very good attacking - would make a good left midfielder/winger, coupled with a cracking left peg
   
6. A complete moaning faced cunt
   

Overall - a good player, but caught out of position a lot, and not a good defender. A useful defender because of his tenacity and pace, but shite at tackling.

That may have changed these days - I've not seen that much of him lately.

Observations on Sol Campbell (in his Arsenal days), were that he was a massive liability. He was always taking people down in the box, but got away with it a lot. Manhandling strikers in the box every single challenge. He's a big solid defender, and handy to have in your team, but when there was a lot of hype surrounding him, I just thought he was a penalty waiting to happen, every single attack. He also likes to shove mobile phones in Ashley Cole (allegedly).

[Adam Easy Wishes]

My general observations of Cole:

1. 
   

1. Pacey as fuck
   
2. Terrible at tackling
   
3. Makes up for his terrible tackling by being a complete pain in the arse. i.e. a winger has to beat him 7 times to get a cross in because he doesn't give up
   
4. Brilliant at goal-line clearances - always seems to be in the right place
   
5. Very good attacking - would make a good left midfielder/winger, coupled with a cracking left peg
   
6. A complete moaning faced cunt
   

Overall - a good player, but caught out of position a lot, and not a good defender. A useful defender because of his tenacity and pace, but shite at tackling.

With the exception of point '5', are you describing Ricky Foster..?

[Guest Gladstone]

With the exception of point '5', are you describing Ricky Foster..?

Have you ever seen Ricky Foster and Ashley Cole in the same place at the same time...?

I think I'm onto something...

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Have you ever seen Ricky Foster and Ashley Cole in the same place at the same time...?

I think I'm onto something...

Ricky does like his tanning beds.

[Alphas]

I think what makes Cole such an attacking threat are his runs from deep areas of the pitch and overlapping the midfielders to get forward and give them options. Similar to Evra and Clichy in the EPL and how Cafu and Roberto Carlos used to play for Brazil. I'm not so sure he'd be as effective playing as a winger having to collect the ball and make his runs from the final third of the pitch to take on the full back.

But all the points Carrots Gladstone made above are pretty close, in particular the moaning one...especially the moaning one in fact. I will always regard him as a twat for the Mike Riley incident when he wouldn't face the ref when he was getting booked.

[Chris]

John Kennedy's retired at the age of 26:

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | C | Celtic | Celtic's Kennedy forced to retire

[Adam Easy Wishes]

John Kennedy's retired at the age of 26:

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | C | Celtic | Celtic's Kennedy forced to retire

Very sad news. Cracking prospect.

[Murrr]

Real shame; he never was the same after that tackle in the Romania game. I always thought he looked like a quality defender up until that point, but then again it was 5 years ago, so I dunno.

Celtic's defence could really use him now.

[ca_gere]

My general observations of Cole:

1. 
   

1. Pacey as fuck
   
2. Terrible at tackling
   
3. Makes up for his terrible tackling by being a complete pain in the arse. i.e. a winger has to beat him 7 times to get a cross in because he doesn't give up
   
4. Brilliant at goal-line clearances - always seems to be in the right place
   
5. Very good attacking - would make a good left midfielder/winger, coupled with a cracking left peg
   
6. A complete moaning faced cunt
   

Now that you put it like that, he seems like an ace left back. His fitness is second to none which makes up for his occasional poor positioning. He is maybe made to look better than he is in the Chelsea team, being surrounded by great cover (Terry and Essien play their positions flawlessly IMO). For England he looks a bit more prone to getting caught out but his attacking from deep is something the team needs. The perfect scenario for England is playing against a narrow team (like what happened against Croatia) then Cole can get forward as much as he likes without pulling everyone else out of position. Him coming forward also means Rooney is less inclined to wander out to the wing, leaving him in a better position to do what he does best. As soon as they have to play a team that spreads the play, they're fucked though.

Oh aye, and I'd gie his wife a poke if she asked nicely.

[RossP]

John Kennedy's retired at the age of 26:

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | C | Celtic | Celtic's Kennedy forced to retire

I am absolutely gutted for the guy. I still remember that Ganea tackle clear as day and it was absolutely horrific. Ganea is a prick of the highest order, who had little respect for player or ref:

I really hope Kennedy goes onto a coaching career or something similar.