2009/2010 season thread.

[delboy]

Good calls for both Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney regarding most improved. Have to say very impressed with the job McLeish is doing at Birmingham and I admire the way he has money to spend but doesnt chuck it around willy nilly, preferring to build a good squad based on team spirit. Rooney has been awesome this season, whats the betting he gets injured before the world cup thus severely thwarting Engerland's chances?

Porto v Arsenal looks an interesting game, 2-1 to Porto I reckon. Be interesting to see how Sol Campbell gets on, might be a bit much for his ageing legs.

[Soda Jerk]

Wish I could watch the Porto and Arsenal game tonight.

HULK!!!!

[delboy]

Hulk is wicked! early goal for Porto, the young arsenal keeper fucked up slightly with a horrible ball in the area. long way to go mind.

[Alkaline]

Oh dear, the ref was having an absolute shocker in the Bayern game. Van Bommel should've been off in the first half, he gave us a pen rather than let a goal stand, sent off a Fiorentina player for a soft elbow and awarded a blatently offside goal for us. Mental.

[Jeanette]

Porto v Arsenal looks an interesting game, 2-1 to Porto I reckon. Be interesting to see how Sol Campbell gets on, might be a bit much for his ageing legs.

You should've put money on that!!

[jon]

Thank you, St Johnstone.

[delboy]

You should've put money on that!!

yes and you can bet your bottom dollar on it had I put money on that score it would have been different!

[Nev]

Thank you, St Johnstone.

That's farking mental, that is!

[Murrr]

Wahey! 4-1 to the Toon. Top of the league by 3 points, +1 GD over West Brom.

Football is great.

[Guest]

That Arsenal goalkeeping display was among the worst I've ever seen.

[Nev]

Polish goalkeepers, in my experience, all seem to be prone to displays like tonight. They're all mad as tits and inconsistent as hell.

[Guest Gladstone]

Sol Campbell up to his old tricks again I see - he's always been a massive liability at the back. He very nearly gave a penalty away in the first couple of minutes, and that back pass debacle was just terrible. What the fuck did he even touch it for? And he knew straight away that it was a back pass - get behind the ball you useless bastard.

But the goalkeeper is more to blame than Campbell. Having picked up the back pass he should have been going back in goals, dropping the ball as far away from the free kick spot as possible. Just terrible.

I was in the gym this morning, and Sky Sports was on the big screen, I couldn't hear it but they had the indirect free kick rule up on the screen, and it looked like they were having a fair old debate about it, and by and large, I got the impression they were insinuating that it was unfair on Arsenal. Fuck right off. The ref apparently didn't have his arm up the whole time indicating it was an indirect free kick. Are you fucking serious? What professional football player doesn't realise a free kick inside the box is indirect? What professional football player doesn't realise the punishment for a back pass is an indirect free kick? And if they thought it wasn't an indirect free kick, why the fuck weren't they getting behind the ball anyway? Had it been at the other end, they would have been hailing the quick thinking of Fabregas or whoever took it.

Dry your fucking eyes. If I was an Arsenal fan, I'd be raging at my goalkeeper, Sol Campbell, and the other defenders nearby, for just standing back and watching. As soon as the ref's whistle goes for the free kick, you should be sprinting to get back in behind the ball, not pissing and moaning because you're shit at football.

Rant over.

One other thing - will Kris Boyd ever stop scoring? He's a filthy hun bastard, but I've started to kind of like him, just because he's this minky fat bastard, that just hits the back of the net all the time. Get him back up front for Scotland, immediately.

[Moose]

Sky Sports | Football News | Premier League | Arsenal | Campbell - I was blocked

What now?

I don't care if Arsenal are moany bastards and Arsne Wenger is a melted wax work, they can be so awesome. Admittedly they weren;t overly brilliant last night, but I did enjoy how the commentator kept referring to Sol Campbell as "the old man". "The old man lumbers up for another corner" - and then he goes and ruddy scores. For some reason I can't stop laughing when I think about Sol Campbell today.... I'd love to see Arsenal win the Champions League. Just get rid of Fabianski as he's utter bollocks. Jamie Langfield is miles better and that's a fact.

[Moose]

At work today, the football topic was most improved player of recent seasons. The most common name being talked about was Darren Fletcher. I don't agree so much, because I think he's been great for quite some time, but seemed to get written off too easily. For me, it's Florent Malouda. He used to be shocking, like, Nani bad. But Hiddink seemed to really get him playing, and he's carried it on this season. Scoring lots, and racking up assists for fun. He's no longer a shambolic waste of space.

James Milner was another I suggested, but he's always shown potential and gradually gotten better. Malouda used to be absolutely shitbad, but now he's rather good, making the curve of improvement steeper.

Who's yours?

Iain Dallas for Iain Proudfoot's Barmy Army. After a season up front/left wing with no goals in around 14 games I've gone on to score 4 in 2 this season as lone striker! LOL.

[Alphas]

I was debating with a friend at the weekend whether Arsenal could actually get back into the title race. It looks like they've blown it as they struggled against the likes of Man U and Chelsea but in the space of a week and a half they played those two and Liverpool therefore clearing a great deal of difficult fixtures out the way. I'd still bet on Chelsea winning with Man U runners up but I reckon Arsenal could claw their way back into it. They recently gained ground and went top of the league by demolishing the lower teams and they have a similar run now combined with Van Persie returning.

I've probably jinxed them now and they'll go on a run of defeats.

[Soda Jerk]

Arsenal have very few hard games left to play, but with their inconsistent form, any game can turn into a hard game. They've got all their big four fixtures out of the way, and the closest they've got left is Man City at home. There's a decent chance they could pick up enough points to compete, but I doubt it.

Wolves have been fined for that weakened side they put out at Old Trafford. I don't agree with why they did it, but it happens alot. Why are they the only ones who have been punished? Last game of the season last season, when Man Utd put out the reserves against Hull to rest players for the CL final, if they'd have lost, would they have been fined?

[Guest Gladstone]

Arsenal have very few hard games left to play, but with their inconsistent form, any game can turn into a hard game. They've got all their big four fixtures out of the way, and the closest they've got left is Man City at home. There's a decent chance they could pick up enough points to compete, but I doubt it.

Wolves have been fined for that weakened side they put out at Old Trafford. I don't agree with why they did it, but it happens alot. Why are they the only ones who have been punished? Last game of the season last season, when Man Utd put out the reserves against Hull to rest players for the CL final, if they'd have lost, would they have been fined?

Fucking bastards. They would never fine a big club for doing this and let's face it, they do it a LOT. I don't think they should have done it either, but the manager put in 11 first squad players, and has every right to what he thinks is best for the club, which is keeping his best players fit for the games he needs to win.

Fucking dicks.

[Woodsinho]

Arsenal have very few hard games left to play, but with their inconsistent form, any game can turn into a hard game. They've got all their big four fixtures out of the way, and the closest they've got left is Man City at home. There's a decent chance they could pick up enough points to compete, but I doubt it.

Wolves have been fined for that weakened side they put out at Old Trafford. I don't agree with why they did it, but it happens alot. Why are they the only ones who have been punished? Last game of the season last season, when Man Utd put out the reserves against Hull to rest players for the CL final, if they'd have lost, would they have been fined?

The result shouldn't be part of the discussion as to whether or not they deserve a fine. There's no way of knowing that any other group of players would have performed any better or worse so it's a moot point. It's all rubbish.

I reckon Arsenal are still in with a shot, they've got more fight in them this year than they have for a few seasons and while they lack any real firepower up front they're managing not to slip up against teams that aren't Man Utd and Chelsea. Don't think they'll win it but they'll be nipping at the heels of the top 2 all the way.

[Soda Jerk]

Big clubs do it alot in cup competitions, but is there many instances in the league? It's actually a Premier League that you have to put out your best team, apparently, where as it isn't a cup rule. It's a shit rule, either way.

I think it's too inconsistent to punish a team for this. What about if Arsenal bring on Carlos Vela instead of the experienced Bendtner, or United playing Kuszack in goal because they think Van Der Sar needs a rest? Then there's factors like certain players falling out of favour. Not applying themselves in training or in the reserves, warranting them a dismissal from the first team. Players can't just be picked because they are the 'best' players and the league says so.

Ji Sung Park, for example. He's fucking crap. He just runs about and makes a nuisance of himself, using very little footballing ability. If you were to put his statistics on paper, and give him a cash value, you could trade him for an early 90's Vauxhall Nova, and still get money back, yet he's favoured over other players in away games mostly. So, that's a 25k fine for every game he's played, if fair is fair.

[Guest Gladstone]

Big clubs do it alot in cup competitions, but is there many instances in the league? It's actually a Premier League that you have to put out your best team, apparently, where as it isn't a cup rule. It's a shit rule, either way.

I think it's too inconsistent to punish a team for this. What about if Arsenal bring on Carlos Vela instead of the experienced Bendtner, or United playing Kuszack in goal because they think Van Der Sar needs a rest? Then there's factors like certain players falling out of favour. Not applying themselves in training or in the reserves, warranting them a dismissal from the first team. Players can't just be picked because they are the 'best' players and the league says so.

Ji Sung Park, for example. He's fucking crap. He just runs about and makes a nuisance of himself, using very little footballing ability. If you were to put his statistics on paper, and give him a cash value, you could trade him for an early 90's Vauhall Nova, and still get money back, yet he's favoured over other players in away games mostly. So, that's a 25k fine for every game he's played, if fair is fair.

Exactly - it's a ridiculous concept and a ridiculous rule. "Best" is so subjective. The best team in the manager's opinion for one game, could be wildly different to the next game, and the manager's opinion will almost inevitably differ from thousands of others around the country.

What a bunch of fucking knobs. I hope they can somehow appeal and get the fine overturned, or if they don't, like you say - a fine for every time someone like Park plays, or every time Berbatov gets to stand in one place and moan all game, or every time John O'Shea isn't selected.

[Soda Jerk]

Players should have to pay their clubs a fee, calculated as a percentage of their transfer value, if they play shit. Berbatov would be in some serious debt.

[Woodsinho]

Irrelevant Coincidence of the Week:

There are currently 6 teams in the Premier League who have conceded 8 goals in 13 home games - Everton, Birmingham, Villa, Spurs, Man Utd and Chelsea.

[jon]

Jamie Langfield is miles better and that's a fact.

I think you've been out in the sun too long!

[Alphas]

Big clubs do it alot in cup competitions, but is there many instances in the league? It's actually a Premier League that you have to put out your best team, apparently, where as it isn't a cup rule. It's a shit rule, either way.

I think it's too inconsistent to punish a team for this. What about if Arsenal bring on Carlos Vela instead of the experienced Bendtner, or United playing Kuszack in goal because they think Van Der Sar needs a rest? Then there's factors like certain players falling out of favour. Not applying themselves in training or in the reserves, warranting them a dismissal from the first team. Players can't just be picked because they are the 'best' players and the league says so.

Ji Sung Park, for example. He's fucking crap. He just runs about and makes a nuisance of himself, using very little footballing ability. If you were to put his statistics on paper, and give him a cash value, you could trade him for an early 90's Vauxhall Nova, and still get money back, yet he's favoured over other players in away games mostly. So, that's a 25k fine for every game he's played, if fair is fair.

Exactly. The ruling actually states that managers have to field the strongest possible side so any squad rotating as mentioned above surely breaks the rules as well? McCarthy's case was obviously more extreme as he changed ten players but if all teams have to stick by the rules then playing Kuszack ahead of a fully fit Van Der Sar should be punishable. Even in McCarthy's case he was able to argue that he changed his squad but was able to bring in something like four or five internationals.

Anyway, I've just reiterated what everyone has said as it is a shite rule. Managers should be able to pick who they want, it can impact on key games such as relegation dogfights but thems the breaks as far as I'm concerned!

[Moose]

I don't understand. What did Wolves get punished for?