2011/2012 Season Thread

[Soda Jerk]

Shearer was a bit of a boob sometimes, as are a hell of alot of footballers, but I think someone like Joey Barton judging Shearer of his actions is serious straw-clutching. I can accept that outbursts can happen in the heat of the moment on the pitch, because it's war out there. Stamps, kicking out, hot tempers etc. Shearer has had a few, as have a large number of players. Compare that to Barton's track record of acts of violence on AND OFF the pitch, and they just don't compare. Tevez should have been off too, but the fact that Barton gave him a whack, then kicked Aguero in the back, and tried to headbutt Kompany all in the same 60 seconds is beyond belief. There's literally nobody worse than Barton in football. He should have been axed from the game long ago. But everyone spouted that "he's changed now". Like shit he has.

[The Milner]

Ahem, Fernando Rixson. Kyle Lafferty. I rest my case.

[Guest Gladstone]

Shearer was a bit of a boob sometimes, as are a hell of alot of footballers, but I think someone like Joey Barton judging Shearer of his actions is serious straw-clutching. I can accept that outbursts can happen in the heat of the moment on the pitch, because it's war out there. Stamps, kicking out, hot tempers etc. Shearer has had a few, as have a large number of players. Compare that to Barton's track record of acts of violence on AND OFF the pitch, and they just don't compare. Tevez should have been off too, but the fact that Barton gave him a whack, then kicked Aguero in the back, and tried to headbutt Kompany all in the same 60 seconds is beyond belief. There's literally nobody worse than Barton in football. He should have been axed from the game long ago. But everyone spouted that "he's changed now". Like shit he has.

Did anyone actually believe that Barton had changed? He's a complete bell end, but I don't think he should be kicked out of the game all together. He should and will get a lengthy ban, but he's a talented footballer. Someone else will take a chance on him and pay him wages. There have been others as bad as Barton in the past I'm sure - I can't think of any off the top of my head, but there are bound to have been. It was an impressive on-pitch meltdown yesterday. If only someone hadn't got in his way when Balotelli wound him up, it could have been even more impressive. He is your typical football pitch hardman though - like someone said above Kompany would break him in half in a fight. No questions asked.

[Soda Jerk]

Ahem, Fernando Rixson. Kyle Lafferty. I rest my case.

Neither of those kicked lumps out of someone on the street in a vicious assault or stubbed a cigar out on someone's eye. Joey Barton is unparalleled.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7409943.stm

See quotes "punched 20 times" and "broken teeth".

[-matthEw-]

Well the obvious solution there is to support a big team on the side, but I suppose not everyone is willing to split loyalties. I support Aberdeen because I'm from there, and I personally believe that everyone should support their local side (unless they've got a choice, like in Glasgow or Manchester) but I realise that not everyone does.

Here in Australia a lot of people in Perth support one of the two local Aussie Rules Football teams - West Coast Eagles, who are among the best five in the league, or Fremantle Dockers, who are pants and float in the midtable all year every year. But it's seen as normal to support a team not based in Perth. A lot of friends are fans of Carlton and Essendon (based in Melbourne) for no real reason other than "that's who they chose". It's really weird to me as a soccer fan since not supporting a local team seems a bit daft. I support Aberdeen, but I also follow Chelsea and Sunderland and like to see them do well (and get quite annoyed when they don't, as is healthy), and I would always say that Aberdeen is the team I support.

EDIT: this didn't make as much sense as I thought it did. tl;dr: Support your local team, and following other sides on the side is fine by me.

Nothing wrong with choosing to barrack for Essendon.

That is weird though. I know that in Melbourne folk would never support a WA or Sydney team... but I guess that's cos they've got plenty of successful sides getting an absolute shitload of coverage right on their doorstep.

AFL rules.

Barton yesterday was crazy and he is a very lucky man QPR didn't get relegated. Some of his tweets last night after MOTD were crazy though. Hope it all blows up in his face in the most entertaining way possible... Shearer is an utterly shite pundit though, he called that right.

[Soda Jerk]

Did anyone actually believe that Barton had changed? He's a complete bell end, but I don't think he should be kicked out of the game all together. He should and will get a lengthy ban, but he's a talented footballer. Someone else will take a chance on him and pay him wages. There have been others as bad as Barton in the past I'm sure - I can't think of any off the top of my head, but there are bound to have been. It was an impressive on-pitch meltdown yesterday. If only someone hadn't got in his way when Balotelli wound him up, it could have been even more impressive. He is your typical football pitch hardman though - like someone said above Kompany would break him in half in a fight. No questions asked.

Is he all that talented? He's been shite this season anyway. His boots are much bigger than his actual ability. After the amount that he's done on and off the pitch, I'm surprised anyone can say he still deserves to be playing football. He's a liability for any club, so whoever takes the next punt on him are stupid as fuck. Even more so if they make him captain again.

[Guest Gladstone]

Is he all that talented? He's been shite this season anyway. His boots are much bigger than his actual ability. After the amount that he's done on and off the pitch, I'm surprised anyone can say he still deserves to be playing football. He's a liability for any club, so whoever takes the next punt on him are stupid as fuck. Even more so if they make him captain again.

I didn't say he's the most gifted player in the league or anything like that. He is talented though. When he plays to the best of his ability, he's a very good midfielder. Good passer of the ball and can bang in a decent goal.

I wouldn't sign him for my club, but I bet someone does.

Someone should give him something like a pay to play deal.

For every game he is suspended he loses x amount of his salary and it "compounds". Something like if he is suspended for 1 match, he loses a week's salary. If he gets suspended for another match further down the line it's another 2 weeks' salary, and for each game he suspended for, it compounds on top of that.

I.e. 1 match = 1 week. 2nd match = another 2 (1 week plus however many matches he's been banned for previously) weeks. 3rd match = another 3 (1 + earlier 2) weeks. 4th match = another 4 (1 + earlier 3) etc etc.

If he reached 9 matches suspended in the season, he would be paying his club at the end of the season as he'd have racked up 55 weeks' salary in fines.

That would soon stop the cunt getting sent off.

[Lemonade]

He's an utter liability and seems like a genuinely nasty person. Still remember that CCTV that was released of him punching the fuck out of some guy. Massive chip on his shoulder. Absolute scum.

[Mr Owl PhD]

For all his faults, it's worth remembering that Joey Barton is still the nice one in his family:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4477156.stm

[Paranoid Android]

Bad day for football.

It was a bloody great day for football, one of the best football days there has been in ages.

I thought City always had a decent amount of fans outside Manchester. There were a few at my school anyway.

Barton added: "The head was never gone at any stage, once I'd been sent off, one of our players suggested I should try to take one of theirs with me. It never worked but god loves a trier."

Utter dick.

[Moose]

For all his faults, it's worth remembering that Joey Barton is still the nice one in his family:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4477156.stm

Holy shit. That's fucking horrific.

[The Milner]

Everyone is capable of making huge mistakes in life, and he has paid for them with jail time, i think its fair to say he has calmed down from his early years, although still a bit of a hot head, but is he any worse on the pitch that Cattermole? Or What about John Terry the other week, that was flat out assult, no question about it the ball wasnt even close to him when it happened, he has also been caught cheating on his wife with team mates girl friends. He was sent off for retaliating to an assult from Tevez, yes what happened after was crazy, but shit happens in football. Did you guys all think Cantona should have been banned for life for his assult on the fan? Should Van Bommel have been banned for life on several occasions for what he has done on the pitch, what about De Jong? I'm no big Joey fan, i think he is a twat for the best part, but shit happens on the football pitch in the heat of the moment, is what he did any worse than what Laffery did to Mulgrew a few years ago? How many times has Barton been sent off in the last 3 seasons?

[Lemonade]

From a Villa fan on Facebook:

Alex McLeish's sacking is taking longer than expected because he's trying to draw his job rather than lose it.

Arf.

[Lemonade]

This is how popular he was:

[Guest]

Everyone is capable of making huge mistakes in life, and he has paid for them with jail time, i think its fair to say he has calmed down from his early years, although still a bit of a hot head, but is he any worse on the pitch that Cattermole? Or What about John Terry the other week, that was flat out assult, no question about it the ball wasnt even close to him when it happened, he has also been caught cheating on his wife with team mates girl friends. He was sent off for retaliating to an assult from Tevez, yes what happened after was crazy, but shit happens in football. Did you guys all think Cantona should have been banned for life for his assult on the fan? Should Van Bommel have been banned for life on several occasions for what he has done on the pitch, what about De Jong? I'm no big Joey fan, i think he is a twat for the best part, but shit happens on the football pitch in the heat of the moment, is what he did any worse than what Laffery did to Mulgrew a few years ago? How many times has Barton been sent off in the last 3 seasons?

Aye and what he's shown is that he hasn't learned from his mistakes, and he thinks violent conduct is totally acceptable. He is worse on the pitch than Cattermole, and there's a difference between kicking out during the game to just stamping on someone when the whistle's blown, as well as punching/headbutting.

It is worse than what Lafferty did to Mulgrew because Mulgrew was never going to be in any physical danger. Barton could easily have hurt somebody seriously after stamping on them, or punching them.

What makes Barton more foul and horrific a person is his brazen, loudmouth attitude afterwards. If you fuck up on the pitch, you keep your head down and stay out of people's way until the heat dies down. He is on twitter spouting shite and trolling fans/Shearer hours later. Not the first time he's done this either, fucking giving his former employer (Warnock) hell hours after he was fired.

What people haven't noticed either is WTF was Mario doing? Why was he even trying to wind up Barton?! His first chance to play, after Mancini says he wouldn't, and he uses this opportunity to wind up a player that's already been sent off before Ballotelli even gets on the pitch. Fucking twat.

[The Milner]

He didnt stamp on anyone, what game were you watching? He kneed Aguero in the back of the leg and he collapsed like he had been shot and suddenly got back to his feet two minutes later. Same player who went onto score the winner so clearly there was nothing wrong with him. Barton is always going to be a loud mouth cunt, just like Kyle Lafferty who is in the papers every month winding up Celtic, or Neil Lennon winding everyone up, you need that in football, its part of the drama of it all. Cattermole is a filthy player, far more likely to cause serious damage on the football pitch that Barton, Van Bommel and De Jong are even worse, these players can be very dangerous for the opp players, Barton is just a hot head who gets caught up in stupid things, very rarely is he sent off for nearly ending a players career on the pitch.

He did exactly what John Terry did two weeks ago in the Nou Camp, only everyone is jumping on this one because of who it is. No one called for Terry to be banned for assult, i just dont get the reasons behind that. At least Barton was involved in an incident, Terry just decided he was going to take a punt at someone in the hope it wouldnt be noticed, both were equally as bad as each other.

Again im not a Joey Barton fanboi, just seems like a lot of people like jumping on the bandwagon when he does something.

[Moose]

You should be allowed a bit of violence in football. Like in rugby, a couple of players in get in a wee scuffle: aint no thang. The game goes on. I don't like Barton one bit, but i also wish footballers would stop being so gay.

[Woodsinho]

You leave Super Lee Cattermole out of this. He's a gentle soul who gets tackles wrong sometimes. He's not going around elbowing and punching people for fun.

[Gypsum_Fantastic]

You leave Super Lee Cattermole out of this. He's a gentle soul who gets tackles wrong sometimes. He's not going around elbowing and punching people for fun.

No. You are wrong. He is a cunt. Smashing up cars outside St. James is another cunty thing he has done. Also plays for the dirty scum yet where does he live?

[The Milner]

Cattermole is a cunt, De Jong is a cunt, Roy Keane was one of footballs biggest ever cunts, you need cunts in football otherwise its full of pansies rolling about on the ground after someone has looked at them. Barton is no angel, but on the pitch there have been and currently are far worse and more dangerous people.

[Soda Jerk]

No one called for Terry to be banned because he hasn't got a track record of going around smacking folk. The red card was justified, and he was an idiot. End of really. Barton has continuously done it and been given countless amounts of second chances. You say he "paid for it with jail time" but he's still throwing himself around like a thug. Tempers can flare in games of football, but he assaulted two players in one game yesterday, and tried to headbutt Kompany on his way off. That was one game. I can't think of any player in recent times who has unleashed that quantity of cuntishness in such a short amount of time.

What about this? Pow. Right in the chest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9AfwVuttS4

And again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlz5tO1F9JI

The headbutt on Norwich's Johnson? The absolute horror challenges on Diaby and Xabi Alonso, the kind that could break legs?

You pile that on top of him stubbing a lit cigar out in the eye of a team mate, and smacking the shit out of a youth outside McDonalds, and I don't think there is a player who has a worse record than that - and shagging other peoples WAGS doesn't count. It just doesn't compare to giving someone a smack, or trying to break their leg.

[The Milner]

Horror challenge on Ethu?!!! He barely touches him, this is a horror tackle;

or this;

or this;

Or what about this guy;

If that sending off against Getafe is not classed as our right assault when compared to Barton then i dont know what ever will be.

As for Saint John Terry what about this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McOxoOSuX_8

There are countless examples of far worse things than what happened on sunday, Barton is a fucking idiot yes, but what he did on sunday doesnt compare to any of those videos.

[delboy]

That'll take some doing! It's fucking near impossible to avoid sports results. I quite often have to avoid the Formula 1 results because I'm at work and I always seem to get it spoiled by radios in shops or walking into the staff room while the news is on the telly.

I bloody managed it as well, started pissing about making some music on the computer and completely stayed off the net - just shut the whole world out! glad I did as well!!!

[delboy]

I want to know of the skeletons in the Linekar closet Barton was referring to in their twitter conversation!

Joey Barton loves The Smiths so he's not all bad ha ha!

Great coverage by MOTD, so glad I avoided the scores.

[Murrr]

Horror challenge on Ethu?!!! He barely touches him, this is a horror tackle;

or this;

or this;

Or what about this guy;

If that sending off against Getafe is not classed as our right assault when compared to Barton then i dont know what ever will be.

As for Saint John Terry what about this;

There are countless examples of far worse things than what happened on sunday, Barton is a fucking idiot yes, but what he did on sunday doesnt compare to any of those videos.

I kind of agree with you. Barton is a massive fuckstain and I'm glad he's not our problem any more. I genuinely think he made a real attempt to clean-up his act after his time in jail, but he can't wash all of his cuntish tendencies away. He has regressed immensely, and yesterday is proof of that. I was partially blind to his flaws when he was a Newcastle player (as most passionate supporters usually are), but ugh. Joey, in certain circumstances, is just a nasty piece of work. "I tried to take one of their players with me," honestly, who fucking says that? Absolute dickhead.

As for his footballing ability, he's over-rated. He was excellent for us last season and I was disappointed when he left, but he's been largely dreadful for QPR. He's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. Scott Parker was a poor player for us and I thought Barton was an upgrade when he signed in 2007, but look at how things turned out. Barton was one of our worst players in 07/08 (and that's saying something) and barely played over the next couple of seasons. I can't comment on his City days, but he had one excellent season for us that was preceded by three god awful ones.

Can't stand any of the players in the videos you've linked. Roy Keane is a piece of shit: I have absolutely no respect for him whatsoever. Thug bastards like that have no place on a football pitch, regardless of their ability. I cannot abide any player who would deliberately go out of their way to hurt another player at any level. Physicality is good, but there's a line. Get pricks like Pepe etc. out of the game and the sport would be much improved.

On Shearer: the guy was crafty, sly and nasty. I love him, obviously, but there was a very unpleasant element to his game that arose as his athleticism eroded. He's no saint, but I don't think he's in the same bracket as some of the players that've been listed. I mean, Neil Lennon HEADBUTTED HIS FOOT and Al didn't even complain about it.