2010/2011 Season Thread

[Johnny Mac]

Paul Hartley for captain!!!!

Good game today in the sunshine. Summer football needs to happen!

Pitch looked good. Aluko was lively. Axel Foley looked pretty solid in the centre of the park.

Only thing I think needs sorted out is the defence. 4 centre backs is not going to work all season, especially against the bigger teams. McArdle definately isn't a right back, was solid enough though.

Hopefully get Basey signed up for the left back slot too.

Good day out!

[Chris]

I thought McArdle and Considine did decent enough yesterday, certainly wouldn't be unhappy to see them in those roles again if Foster and Basey can't play.

Great day though. Sun was shining and I agree the pitch looked fantastic. Can't really fault anyone in red and I thought Hartley, Aluko and Pawlett were the stand outs. If we're lucky with injuries this season then we will cause teams real problems with those two.

[Guest]

I thought McArdle and Considine did decent enough yesterday, certainly wouldn't be unhappy to see them in those roles again if Foster and Basey can't play.

Great day though. Sun was shining and I agree the pitch looked fantastic. Can't really fault anyone in red and I thought Hartley, Aluko and Pawlett were the stand outs. If we're lucky with injuries this season then we will cause teams real problems with those two.

I thought Hartley himself (penalties aside) didn't have a spectacular game, but his presence alone seemed to inspire and settle the team.

Considine had a few shaky moments, but both he and McArdle had pretty good games. Aluko, Pawlett were real attacking threats, McGuire ran himself into the ground, and Megennis was a tank of a target man who actually seemed useful. Actually, the goalie did well, very well, aside from questionable distribution. And Zander put in some crunching tackles. In fact, everyone was fucking great.

I still question why my chant of "we're going to win the league" was greeted with sneers and laughter.

[Soda Jerk]

Reina's fucked it. Silly goal. They played well for a team down to 10 though. The way Arsenal were failing to pick players out, it was almost as if they were the team who were down to 10 men. They looked absolutely awful at attacking any sort of space without Fabregas.

The honeymoon is truly over for Arshavin. He's just not replicated his form since that second half of the season when he first joined.

Great goal from Eggnog too, who gets alot of stick, but it was a neat strike.

[Paranoid Android]

Had a great time at the game yesterday, I'm pretty optimistic for the season now as the new signings all showed a lot of promise and the way the team set out seemed to suit all the best players.

West Brom and Wigan looked bloody awful yesterday. Blackpool could have had 5 or 6 before half time. Chelsea could get 8 again (or more) against Wigan next week. Then again weird Wigan could win 3-1 again.

Soda Jerk I'm starting to come round to your way of thinking abour Evra, somehow I've only just found out about him once playing with chicken in his boot!!!

[Soda Jerk]

I wish I was Ji Sung Park. Why does guy get to be his bezzie, and I don't?

The chicken story is incredible;

It was May 2004 and a 22-year-old Evra was making his name in a Monaco side that had surprised Europe by storming to the Champions League semi-finals and a clash with Roman Abramovichs new plaything.

For the second leg at Stamford Bridge, Monaco were guarding a 3-1 advantage. After 10 minutes Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink cut my ankle, recalls Evra. It was really open, you could see the bone. The doctor signalled for a substitution. I just grabbed his hands and said, If I come off, I kill you. He made me a big bandage and the blood was pouring out, I still have the scar. I finished the first half and he said, Pat, you need to come out because it can break. I said, This is a semi-final, I dont care, I play with one leg. I dont care.

Evra rolls up a trouser leg, removing his sock to display the broad, ragged scar at the top of his stronger foot. After inflicting the first of several Champions League heartbreaks on Abramovich, the left-back had the flesh pulled back together with nine stitches, then again refused to plead injury. It was very painful but I played with a meat. I was putting a chicken as protection, he explains matter of factly.

A chicken? Is the playful Frenchman taking advantage of his questioner? Seriously, I swear its true. When the doctor saw that technique he said, What are you doing? I remember I was going to the butcher and saying, I want one piece, but small. I know some people can say, Yeah, people dont have food, but Pat he puts meat in the boots, but it helped me a lot. I couldnt feel the ball too much but it protected me a lot. I played one month with the meat in my boots.

The month included Monacos defeat in the Champions League final to a Porto team managed by Jose Mourinho. The most funny thing is, after the game, the meat was cooked. Not ready to eat, but a little bit cooked.

The single greatest footballer alive.

[delboy]

a 400 mile round trip to watch Cambridge lose to Wrexham, new look squad same old problems!

[Guest Gladstone]

Celtic have finally signed a big imposing centre half in the shape of Daniel Majstorovic - Swedish international, has captained his country and is currently vice captain to Ibrahimovic (I think) in the national team. 32, with loads of experience, and still playing for Sweden (played against Scotland last week anyway).

Should be a good 'un.

We now need a keeper (we're apparently trying to sign Given from City, but can't see that happening) and a left back.

Craig Bellamy on top of that would be pretty cool...

Hooper is out for 6 weeks after tearing his calf against Blackburn, and McCourt could be out for a while after Maloney gave him whiplash in the goal celebration on Saturday. At the moment, there's nothing Maloney can do right - not even celebrate with his team-mates for fucksake. (He did actually play quite well on Saturday apart from smashing the ball inexplicably off the post instead of just sliding it past the keeper in the first half).

[Lemonade]

Craig Bellamy has already signed for Cardiff City hasn't he?

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Craig Bellamy has already signed for Cardiff City hasn't he?

Nah, just a possibility that he'll even train with them just now.

Sky Sports | Football | Championship | News | Bellamy switch not agreed

[Soda Jerk]

Its stupid that Craig Bellamy is no longer "welcome" or "allowed" within Manchester Citys training facilities. What a circus. Though it's for the best. He'd probably get into a fight with Mario Balotelli about who is the most fucking mentalist player in the whole wide world. They'd probably have a glass-eating duel, or see who can hold their hand on a ceramic hob the longest. Lunatics.

[Guest Gladstone]

To be honest, I can't see Bellamy coming to Celtic. The only reason I'm still even slightly optimistic about it is the fact we do not play in the EPL. City may not want him to score a few goals against them this season, which is why they'd be happy letting him go to Cardiff. I'd be disappointed if the team we lost out on him to was Cardiff, but he may fancy playing for his "home" team for a while.

Who knows. He won't go to Spurs unless they offer City ridiculous money for him, which they won't. Fulham is still a possibility, but surely City would rather he just didn't play for any EPL team.

[Soda Jerk]

If Bellamy isn't considered good enough for Mancini's plans, then I can't see him being fussed who he plays for. He probably knows Bellamy can't play every week because of his dodgy legs too. I think a lot of it will come down where Bellamy actually wants to go. Players have more power in transfer deals than they used to, and he could probably make a move happen himself. Just look at Ben Arfa. He's threatening to go on strike for an entire season if his club don't let him go to Newcastle.

Spitting the dummy out and screaming "I WANT" seems to make anything work in football now. Transfers are just too accessible. The transfer window should open once every 5 years. No fucking about then. If you're not happy at your club, tough. Dry your eyes with your 50 grand a week.

[Adam Easy Wishes]

The transfer window should open once every 5 years. No fucking about then. If you're not happy at your club, tough. Dry your eyes with your 50 grand a week.

The transfer window system should just not exist.

That way agents won't be going fucking mental in the last week of August/January trying to engineer themselves a payday.

[Soda Jerk]

Transfers all year around, all the time? Then you should only be allowed to be registered at one club over a period of 5 YEARS.

I'm pretty set on the 5 year rule. I don't know why. It would encourage actually building a team I guess. And none of this crybaby fannying about, like going on strike because you're being treated like a "slave".

[Adam Easy Wishes]

Transfers all year around, all the time?

Correct! Like the good old days when managers can save their clubs from relegation by making some quality signings towards the end of the season. As it stands if you're fucked in February, you're fucked in May (largely).

I would also like to see the transfer windows tested in court, there are lots of arguments that it is infact illegal restraint of trade and breaks EC rules on freedom of movement for workers. I would be interested in hearing Gladstone's take on this, being a dirty, slimey cunt of lawyer and all...

[Soda Jerk]

It's Fletcher on the score sheet, but that second goal was all Evra.

[delboy]

here here on the transfer window nonsense, football survived for many years without one! I suspect it may have been invented by Murdoch so the sky sports team have something to wank over on deadline day, they do get awfully excited about it all!

five years is way too short, lets make it ten!

[Murrr]

That wasn't a good Newcastle performance at all but I expected worse, to be honest. I thought we did okay. Some silly defensive decisions and a lovely goal from Ryan Giggs cost us. I think that the scoreline was a fair reflection of the game and we definitely need to tighten-up a little bit, as well as bring in another 2-3 players in the next couple of weeks.

For a team with so many big, physical players, I'm quite disappointed that we didn't take a more direct approach to the game. We set out stall in the exact same way that we did in the Championship, and that might do against the league's lesser teams, but we should really take a leaf out of Stoke City's book when we're playing against better teams. Fortunately Chris Hughton is quite an adaptive manager and I trust him to analyse tonight's performance and make improvements for next time. I thought that Alan Smith had a very good game in the middle (much to my surprise), and a lot of our players were non-entities and James Perch had a shocker.

I'm not too worried. We were outclassed by a far better team. We'll learn from our mistakes and move on from this. Howay the lads.

[delboy]

I listened to the second half on the radio and Robbie Savage - who seems to be everywhere on BBC footy radio right now - reckons Newcastle need at least five new 'quality' players to compete in the premier league but looking at the starting line up i thought they were some decent enough players in there and plenty with prem league experience. he's a mumbling welsh git anyways! many a team will get humped at old trafford this season but would have been nice to see the toon army make sir alex's face go a wee bit redder by getting a result... was never gonna happen in reality though was it?

[Sam 45]

five years is way too short, lets make it ten!

Darren Mackie would be be fine going by that rule so i'm all for it!

[Guest idol_wild]

Robbie Savage is awesome.

[delboy]

have to say I find Savage quite entertaining on the radio but he mumbles a lot, still he's new at this radio lark and that will sort itself out over time!

[Guest Gladstone]

I would be interested in hearing Gladstone's take on this, being a dirty, slimey cunt of lawyer and all...

Just 'cos you're a toy lawyer, no need for the petty insults...

I'm no expert on employment law, but going on what I studied about a million years ago at uni, I've always thought that the whole buying and selling of players etc is a breach of employment law. There's no other job in the world where you can't just hand in your notice, work your notice and then leave to take up your new job. I guess there is an argument against that with restrictive covenants, where your employment contract can have a restriction that prevents you working for one of your employer's competitors within a limited timeframe (e.g. you can't work for another recruitment consultancy firm within the centre of Aberdeen for a period of 1 year following leaving your employment at x recruitment consultancy firm - that's a pretty common one).

So in the football world, it should be legitimate to say you can't play for another club in the same league in the current season, but if you want to hand in your notice and go off to play in another country, fine.

They must have got round all this bollocks somehow a few years ago, because nobody seems too bothered by the employment law side of it.

The other argument I always thought would struggle to stand up in court would be the x number of "home" players in a club could be a restraint on the movement of workers within the EU, but I think you just get round that by saying there's no restraint in employing the foreign worker, because they can sign as many as they want, just not field them all at once (that rule doesn't exist anyway, and I doubt it ever will, though the rules in the Premiership this season are getting a little bit closer to that I suppose).

Basically - I dinna ken.

[Guest Gladstone]

By the way, I'm top of the Fantasy Fitba League.

:]

(I'm going to be bleating for the same length of time as Aberdeen fans...)